Contact Reduction

Contact reduction research focuses on improving robot manipulation and navigation by strategically managing contact interactions with objects and environments. Current efforts involve developing algorithms, often based on factor graphs or dynamical systems, to estimate and control contact configurations, including the number, location, and type of contacts, even with incomplete object knowledge. This work is crucial for enhancing the robustness and efficiency of robot systems in complex, real-world scenarios, particularly in tasks involving assembly, manipulation of unknown objects, and safe human-robot interaction.