IN-ORBIT ASSEMBLY:ROBUST AUTONOMOUS METHODSFOR CONTROLLING ROBOT MANIPULATORS IN SPACE

This PhD will focus on devising a shared autonomy approach between the human and the robot in manufacturing processes, overcoming the challenges of delayed communication by delegating most of the fine-grained manipulation to the robot while the human operator orchestrates and supervise the task remotely. Robotic teleoperation can serve as the conduit for flexibility in manufacturing. Therefore, this PhD will consider the advancements in virtual and mixed reality approaches to enable the smoothest experience for remote robotic operation. It will also focus on developing machine learning approaches for fine-grained manipulation and assembly to minimize human input and user cognitive strain. The latter will allow the robot to perform autonomously should the connection drop or should the task be repetitive or straightforward. This PhD project will be in collaboration with the National Manufacturing Institute to develop flexible robots that allow the reconfiguration of supply chains with minimal effort and investment.