CPG-Based Manipulation with Multi-Module Origami Robot Surface

Introduction

Robotic manipulators often face challenges in handling objects of different sizes and materials, limiting their effectiveness in practical applications. This issue is particularly pronounced when manipulating meter-scale objects or those with varying stiffness, as traditional gripping techniques and strategies frequently prove inadequate. In this work, I introduce a novel surface-based multi-module robotic manipulation framework that utilizes a Central Pattern Generator (CPG)-based motion generator, combined with a simulation-based optimization method to determine the optimal manipulation parameters for a multi-module origami robotic surface (Ori-Pixel). This approach allows for the manipulation of objects ranging from centimeters to meters in size, with varying stiffness and shape. The optimized CPG parameters were tested through both dynamic simulations and a series of prototype experiments involving a wide range of objects differing in size, weight, shape, and material, demonstrating robust manipulation capabilities.

Demo Video

Contributions:

• It marks the first implementation of Central Pattern Generator (CPG) methodology for manipulation tasks using multi-module robotic systems;
• A novel data-driven optimization framework is proposed with dynamic simulations to efficiently identify optimal CPG parameters within a complex, high-dimensional space.

Related published paper

• Y. Jiang, S. Asmar, Z. Wang, S. Demirtas, and J. Paik, “CPG-based Manipulation with Multi-Module Origami Robot Surface,” under review, October 2024