Competitive Robotics

VEXU Spin Up (2023)

This last year, I have recruited and led a team of 20+ students in the development of two robots to play a variant of Frisbee Golf. We compete head-to-head against universities from around the world in autonomous and teleoperated matches.

During this time, I have spent a great deal of effort on the development of a unique omnidirectional drivetrain design, commonly referred to as "differential swerve".

This consists of a wheeled robot drivetrain where each wheel is individually steerable. The wheel module is powered by two motors where the steering and wheel actuation are coupled through a mechanical differential. This allows motor power to be instantaneously allocated between steering and driving only by controlling motor speeds.

In addition to mechanical design and manufacturing, I have been developing a unified planning and control approach using non-linear optimization. This allows for more efficient and optimal motion while respecting actuator limits.