Robotics and Uncrewed Systems Lab

This laboratory primarily supports the ME Robotics and Autonomous Systems capstone course, undergraduate and graduate research, and Mechanical Engineering student organizations focused on robotics and autonomous systems.

Recent capstone projects include:

• Project Barktographers: This project focused on developing a sensor payload for a quadruped robot that is capable of enhancing mobility and safety for visually impaired individuals navigating in a building.
• Project Bitsy: This project focused on developing an assistive robot to support elderly care.
• Project Buckbeak: This project focused on enhancing the performance, modularity and manufacturability of a hybrid fixed-wing multirotor uncrewed aerial system (UAS) science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education kit.
• Project Hansel: This project focused on developing an uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) payload that deployed thermal markers at regular intervals to support thermal inertial odometry research.
• Project Husky: This project focused on developing a payload for a Clearpath Robotics Husky that is capable of simulating different robot and uncrewed system movements.
• Project Watney: This project focused on developing an uncrewed ground vehicle (UGV) capable of autonomously capturing top and side view images of plants in a lunar environment.

Equipment

The lab supports rapid prototyping, embedded systems development and robotics research, including:

• Advanced electronics instrumentation (oscilloscopes, power supplies, multimeters and soldering stations)
• Embedded and edge-computing platforms (single-board computers and mobile workstations)
• Robot actuators (DC motors, stepper motors and servo motors)
• Robot sensors (cameras, LiDAR, ultrasonic sensors, GNSS, IMUs and tactile sensors)
• Rapid prototyping equipment
• Mechanical and electrical tools for robot development and testing
• Robotic and uncrewed systems spanning ground, aerial and surface domains
• Custom laboratory testbeds and experimental setups
• Large-scale robotic platforms (e.g., Clearpath Husky UGV and Polaris GEM electric vehicle platform)