Project Database
This page contains the database of possible research projects for master and bachelor students in the Biorobotics Laboratory (BioRob). Visiting students are also welcome to join BioRob, but it should be noted that no funding is offered for those projects (see https://biorob.epfl.ch/students/ for instructions). To enroll for a project, please directly contact one of the assistants (directly in his/her office, by phone or by mail). Spontaneous propositions for projects are also welcome, if they are related to the research topics of BioRob, see the BioRob Research pages and the results of previous student projects.
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Amphibious robotics
Computational Neuroscience
Dynamical systems
Human-exoskeleton dynamics and control
Humanoid robotics
Miscellaneous
Mobile robotics
Modular robotics
Neuro-muscular modelling
Quadruped robotics
Mobile robotics
744 – Multi-robot coordination of assistive furniture swarm in multiple layers using velocity potential field modulation |
Category: | master project (full-time) | |
Keywords: | 3D, Control, Motion Capture, Programming, Python, Robotics, Simulator | |
Type: | 40% theory, 10% hardware, 50% software | |
Responsible: | (undefined, phone: 37432) | |
Description: | We are exploring the concept of a mobile furniture swarm that are intended to assist users with limited mobility in their daily indoor activities. To facilitate multiple uses of limited space, mobile furniture pieces can autonomously rearrange their formation (e.g., setups for meetings, parties, or cleaning). To enhance daily autonomy, assistive furniture can actively move out of the way for a wheelchair user passing by, or follow the user to help carrying objects. Our previous algorithm, Velocity Potential Field Modulation (VPFM), has been proposed to deal with the dense coordination problem of a polytopic swarm in 2D scenarios. For more information, please check out our recent publication in IEEE RA-L: -- Title: Velocity Potential Field Modulation for Dense Coordination of Polytopic Swarms and Its Application to Assistive Robotic Furniture -- Paper: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/11027457 -- Code: https://github.com/Mikasatlx/VPFM-BioRob-EPFL In this master thesis, we will focus on extending VPFM to multiple layers (or height), which can increase the efficiency of using the 3D space. For example, the lower table can move through a higher table, and the seat of a chair can go under a higher table, but the back of a chair can not. The current framework is to couple the coordination behavior over multiple layers, and introduce stochastic component to break the deadlocks/oscillations. We will conduct both simulations and real-world experiments (using VICON motion capture system) to evaluate its effectiveness and real-time performance. For thesis with meaningful results, we will aim for a submission to the 2026 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS 2026). Last edited: 15/06/2025 |
One project found.