This award is in the joint ENG/CISE research thrust in Intelligent Material Handling Systems. This research effort studies mobile manipulation for material handling, in the form of integrated control of a mobile platform and robotic arm. Such an integrated system can offer major advances in material handling, providing a wide range of new capabilities for such systems. This includes the ability to function in a partially modelled environment, the ability to carry out a diverse set of operational tasks relevant to material handling, and the ability to carry out those tasks in real time. The highly interdisciplinary research team brings together a wide-ranging collection of enabling technologies including system architecture, robotic modeling, sensing, navigational planning, reactive control, micromanipulation, and others. The involvement of Georgia Tech's existing Materials Handling Research Center will provide an appropriate venue for both testing of ideas and facilitation of technology transfer to interested industrial partners.
