Modern robot arms are capable of high-speed motion with very high precision. However to achieve this they require accurately machined components, accurate encoders and stiff links that don’t deflect during aggressive motion. Stiff links are typically heavy, and that requires more powerful motors and these are more expensive.
What if we took a different approach? We could admit that the robot is flexible and inaccurate and use vision to control the relative position of the end-effector. The camera could be a high-frame rate conventional camera or an event camera. The project requires development of the experimental testbed, the development of good dynamic models of the machine, actuators and sensors, synthesis of appropriate control laws, and demonstration of all-up performance.
Seeking candidates with some or all of the following experience: robot arm kinematics and dynamics, control theory, system identification and modelling, computer vision, hands-on mechatronic design, simulation and coding.