Publications by Francesco Mondada

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Service robotics, as it has been intended so far, views the accomplishment of a service mission mainly as the result of the action of a single robot. Swarm robotics tackles the very same problem from a different stance, \ie as the result of a team effort of simple units. The project described here shows this particular approach. It defines first one simple unit (s-bot) capable of independently moving about on the ground and of dynamically establishing rigid or semi-rigid connections with other fellow units

Identifying the communication channels inside a society of zebrafish could allow scientists to trigger specific behaviors on the animals to tests for instance the effect of a drug or a genetic mutation. We propose a robotic system to integrate the zebrafish shoal in a non-invasive way, in order to be accepted by the animals and influence their behavior. This system is composed of two parts: a mobile robot that can reach speed of 50 cms-1 and acceleration of 2 m/s2 which are typical for the zebrafish and a l

Robotic animals are nowadays developed for various types of research, such as bio-inspired robotics, biomimetics and animal behavior studies. More specifically, in the case of collective animal behavior research, the robotic device can interact with animals by generating and exploiting signals relevant for social behavior. Once perceived by the animal society as conspecific, these robots can become powerful tools to study the animal behaviors, as they can at the same time monitor the changes in behavior and

Many studies on collective animal behavior seek to identify the individual rules that underlie collective patterns. However, it was not until the recent advancements of micro-electronic and embedded systems that scientists were able to create mixed groups ...

This chapter presents a disaster recovery scenario that has been used throughout the ASCENS project as a reference to coordinate the study of distributed algorithms for robot ensembles. We first introduce the main traits and open problems in the design of behaviors for robot ensembles.We then present the scenario, highlighting its generality as a framework to compare algorithms and methodologies for distributed robotics. Subsequently, we summarize the main results of the research conducted in ASCENS that us

A robotic fish accepted by animals as conspecifics is a very powerful tool in behavioral biology. To obtain the acceptance of the device towards the animals, it should generate some visual stimuli that can be perceived by a living fish as attractive signal ...

Fish display remarkable locomotor and social abilities, from efficient swimming to coordinated schooling, that have inspired the design of various robotic fish. While robotics has largely benefited from biology, fish-like robots are increasingly used as scientific tools to investigate fundamental questions in biomechanics, sensorimotor control, and collective behavior. This paper reviews how robotic models have been employed to study the neuromechanical basis of swimming, the role of sensory feedback in loc

The goal of creating machines that autonomously perform useful work in a safe, robust and intelligent manner continues to motivate robotics research. Achieving this autonomy requires capabilities for understanding the environment, physically interacting wi ...

Domestic service robots are currently powered by the mains electricity. The growing multiplication of such devices negatively impacts our environment. In this study, we show the feasibility of harvesting energy from natural light in an indoor environment. ...

Evolutionary robotics - as other adaptive methods, such as reinforcement learning and learning classifier systems - can take considerable time and resources which require a careful evaluation of the hardware tools and methodologies employed. We outline a set of hardware solutions and working methodologies that can be used for successfully implementing and extending the evolutionary approach to complex environments, robots, and real-world applications. The issues discussed include the integration of simulati

Sustaining changes in teachers’ practices is a challenge that determines the success of curricular reforms, from which Digital Education (DE) is not exempt. As the literature on sustainability is considered “scarce” and “scattered”, long-term studies model ...

This article illustrates the methods and results of two sets of experiments in which a group of mobile robots, called s-bots, are required to physically connect to each other, that is, to self-assemble, to cope with environmental conditions that prevent th ...

We develop here a novel hypothesis that may generate a general research framework of how autonomous robots may act as a future contingency to counteract the ongoing ecological mass extinction process. We showcase several research projects that have underta ...

We propose an experimental study where simplistic organ- isms rise from inanimate matter and evolve solely through physical interactions. These organisms are composed of three types of macroscopic building blocks floating in an agitated medium. The dynamis ...

In this paper, we introduce a self-assembling and self-organizing artifact, called a swarm-bot, composed of a swarm of s-bots, mobile robots with the ability to connect to and to disconnect from each other. We discuss the challenges involved in controlling a swarm-bot and address the problem of synthesizing controllers for the swarm-bot using artificial evolution. Specifically, we study aggregation and coordinated motion of the swarm-bot using a physics-based simulation of the system. Experiments, using a s

In a time marked by ecological decay and by the perspective of a severe backlash of this ecosystem decay and climate devastation onto human society, bold moves that employ novel technology to counteract this decline are required. We present a novel concept ...

In this paper, we describe a miniature climbing robot, 96 x 46 x 64 [mm3], able to climb ferromagnetic surfaces and to make inner plane to plane transition using only two degrees of freedom. Our robot, named TRIPILLAR, combines magnetic caterpillars and ma ...

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes increasingly integrated into various aspects of daily life, the need for AI literacy continues to grow. Accordingly, both educators and students must develop a critical understanding of AI systems and acquire the ski ...

Robotic technologies have shown the capability to interact with living organisms and even to form integrated mixed societies composed of living and artificial agents. Biocompatible robots, incorporating sensing and actuation capable of generating and respo ...

Swarm robotics draws inspiration from decentralized self-organizing biological systems in general and from the collective behavior of social insects in particular. In social insect colonies, many tasks are performed by higher order group or team entities, ...

Francesco Mondada

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SWARM Robotics: A Different Approach to Service Robotics

Interacting with zebrafish using robotic agents

Shoaling with Fish: Using Miniature Robotic Agents to Close the Interaction Loop with Groups of Zebrafish Danio rerio

Bidirectional interactions facilitate the integration of a robot into a shoal of zebrafish Danio rerio

Adaptation and Awareness in Robot Ensembles: Scenarios and Algorithms

Design Methods for Miniature Underwater Soft Robots

Swimming with robots: investigating fish locomotion, sensing, and schooling behavior with robotic swimmers

Autonomous construction using scarce resources in unknown environments - Ingredients for an intelligent robotic interaction with the physical world

The Autonomous Photovoltaic MarXbot

Hardware Solutions for Evolutionary Robotics

Modelling the sustainability of a primary school digital education curricular reform and professional development program

Cooperation through self-assembly in multi-robot

Social Integrating Robots Suggest Mitigation Strategies for Ecosystem Decay

Towards an Autonomous Evolution of Non-Biological Physical Organisms

Evolving Self-Organizing Behaviors for a Swarm-bot

Bio-Hybrid Systems for Ecosystem Level Effects

TRIPILLAR: Miniature magnetic caterpillar climbing robot with plane transition ability

Teachers’ Perspectives on Using and Teaching Artificial Intelligence in Early Primary Education

A robotic honeycomb for interaction with a honeybee colony

Teamwork in Self-Organized Robot Colonies