By taking advantage of the mechanics and dynamics of a task, we enable simple robots to perform complex tasks. Essentially, we trade off physical complexity of a general purpose robot for the computational complexity required to design a simple robot or to plan tasks for such a robot. My thesis, entitled Impulsive Manipulation , studied how robots can use impulsive forces, such as through tapping, to manipulate objects. There are many advantages to this mode of manipulation. Since the robot does not grasp the object, there is no limit to the size of objects that the robot can manipulate.
Impulsive manipulation can be very fast, and it can be used for precision alignment.
In my thesis work, I focused on tapping planar parts resting on a support surface and examined the mechanics, control, and planning for tapping. I was coadvised by Matt Mason and Eric Krotkov . Publications Parts Feeding on a Conveyor with a One Joint Robot , by S. Akella, W. Huang, K. Lynch, and M. Mason. Accepted for publication in Algorithmica. Experiments in Impulsive Manipulation , by W. Huang and M. Mason.