Nachrichten & Forschung

arXiv:2609.01281v2 Announce Type: replace Abstract: Vision-language-action (VLA) policies generate executable robot actions, but plausible proposals can have different consequences for the task. We present EmbodiedSkills, a skill-based agent framework that augments frozen VLA policies with world action models for consequence-aware action selection. The framework defines reusable skills for scene observation, context encoding, candidate generation, consequence prediction, outcome evaluation, candidate comparison, and action execution. Five stages organize their input-output dependencies in a shared feedback loop, accommodating both continuous action chunks and pick-and-place primitives. At each decision point, independently trained world action models predict the latent consequences of a common set of policy proposals. Selection combines their outcome scores and prediction disagreement with a lightweight comparator that estimates the benefit of an alternative from agreement in its predi

arXiv:2609.01207v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: This paper studies a class of uncertain multi-input multi-output (MIMO) nonlinear systems using extended PID (EPID) control. We focus on systems possessing a well-defined vector relative degree whose components may vary across channels, a setting that received limited attention in the existing literature on PID-type control. We develop a channel-wise EPID controller, where each control input is constructed from the proportional, integral, and derivative terms of the corresponding tracking error, and the highest derivative order is selected according to the relative degree of that channel. Under suitable growth conditions on the unknown nonlinearities, we construct an admissible set of EPID parameters specified by prescribed initial-state bounds, the uncertainties and the reference signal. We show that any parameter choice from this set guarantees semiglobal stability of the closed-loop system and achieves the desired setpoint regulation.

arXiv:2609.01089v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Robotic processing of irregular steel scrap requires dense 3-D measurement to replace manual visual assessment in hazardous cutting workcells. The reconstructed map is used to estimate piece dimensions, boundary geometry, feasible preheating and cutting regions, and collision-aware torch paths. The reconstruction errors therefore propagate directly to downstream measurement and planning. Existing multi-view registration methods commonly rely on feature extraction and data association to establish correspondences between views. In workcells with smooth metallic surfaces, repeated structures, occlusions, and partial overlaps, however, wrong correspondences may be established, leading to inaccurate pose estimation and distorted reconstruction. This paper presents an adaptive layered depth-map-guided bundle adjustment framework for correspondence-free multi-view point cloud registration. The scene is represented by a global 2.5-D grid, where

arXiv:2609.00906v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: High-precision insertion remains a fundamental challenge in robotic manipulation due to the strict alignment requirements and contact-rich interactions involved. Although peg-in-hole tasks are widely used for evaluation, existing bench- marks often rely on fixed task configurations, limiting their ability to assess robustness and generalization across different insertion scenarios. This paper introduces a reconfigurable peg-in-hole benchmark designed to evaluate task generalization in high-precision insertion. The benchmark consists of a set of fully 3D-printable modular components, including multiple peg geometries, tolerance levels, and configurable base structures that can be combined to generate a large variety of insertion and assembly tasks. By varying object layouts, orientations, and task structures while maintaining controlled physical conditions, the benchmark enables systematic evaluation of adaptation to unseen scenarios. To s

arXiv:2609.00804v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Exploring unknown environments with multiple UAVs requires coordination under intermittent communication, making decentralized operation a baseline assumption. We propose, within a decentralized framework, a novel exploration graph extension strategy based on frontier connectivity to extend exploration plans and maintain area partitioning among agents stable and robust to disconnections and changes in spatial layout. The proposed extension method is applied to two state-of-the-art area partitioning methods and evaluated in simulation. Experiments show improved performance over existing graph extension approaches with higher exploration efficiency under low communication rate.

arXiv:2609.00771v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Robotic throwing enables fast object transport and extends a robot's reachable workspace beyond traditional pick-and-place. While prehensile (grasp-based) throwing works well for graspable items, non-prehensile (grasp-free) throwing is better suited for large, heavy, and/or deformable objects. Existing approaches rely on model-based optimization with simplified contact models (e.g., dynamic grasping) and low-dimensional trajectory parameterizations, which limit solution quality and reachable workspace. We propose a reinforcement learning approach that additionally leverages sliding and rolling contact modes and directly optimizes joint-space trajectories without analytical contact models or custom parameterizations. The Markov Decision Process (MDP) is formulated as a dynamical system that evolves the robot's joint state conditioned on the throwing target, object model, and initial configuration. Joint-jerk trajectories are planned offlin

arXiv:2609.00769v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: This letter presents a compact two-degree-of-freedom (DoF) robotic finger with a flexion-selective passive continuously variable transmission (CVT) to achieve a wide force-speed operating range. Inspired by the functional differentiation of the human metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint, the proposed mechanism realizes DoF-specific transmission differentiation by selectively assigning passive CVT to the flexion-extension DoF while preserving direct transmission for abduction-adduction. For a wide force-speed operating range, a force-responsive passive CVT is embedded in the flexion pathway, while direct transmission is preserved for the abduction-adduction pathway. To selectively realize transmission adaptation within a multi-DoF MCP mechanism, an output-side passive CVT employing a moving-pulley-inspired wire-routing structure is introduced. The resultant force generated by the wire tensions acting on the pulley that passively increases the f

arXiv:2609.00751v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Conventional soft robot actuators excel in compliance, but their uncontrolled deformations compromise accuracy and hinder scaling to multi-degree-of-freedom (DoF) systems. We introduce a MONOlithic ORIGAMI-inspired soft folding actuator design (MONORIGAMI) that establishes a design strategy based on spatially programmed stiffness anisotropy to preserve material compliance along desired folding directions while selectively restricting deformation in unwanted directions. The actuator leverages stiffness tiers based on material thickness, patterned in an origami-inspired geometry with facets and creases, converting unconstrained soft deformation into accurate, repeatable, and composable folding motions without additional reinforcements. The design is fully 3D-printable through a single-material, single-print process that requires no assembly. Each actuator serves as a scalable motion primitive, and linking and orienting multiple actuators me

arXiv:2609.00677v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We present ADAPT, an end-to-end framework for interactive, text-conditioned humanoid whole-body control. Unlike dominant text-to-motion pipelines that generate kinematic motions for a separate tracker, ADAPT solves language control with an end-to-end closed-loop control framework, where the robot must continuously respond to changing commands while maintaining balance, natural motion, and smooth transitions. ADAPT learns a diffusion-based action prior from text-labeled humanoid state-action trajectories, enabling diverse motion skills to be directly executed from language commands. To improve long-horizon robustness and smooth prompt switching, we train a lightweight residual reinforcement learning policy on top of the frozen diffusion controller. We further show that the same diffusion policy can be reused as a steerable text-conditioned motion prior for downstream task adaptation. Experiments demonstrate robust language-grounded skill e

arXiv:2609.00669v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Physical human--robot interaction software often couples desired-behavior specification with constrained realization; we treat these as separate layers. A \emph{behavior layer} supplies a desired contact-port acceleration $a_k^{\mathrm{id}}=f_\theta(e_k,\dot e_k,F_{h,k})$. A \emph{realization layer} converts it into constrained robot commands and reports total desired-versus-realized acceleration error instead of hiding it in saturation. A same-objective unconstrained counterfactual separates regularization from constraint intervention, while plant data expose model error. This paper implements a receding-horizon quadratic program realizing memoryless affine behaviors. Changing the behavior modifies objective coefficients through $(C_\theta,G_\theta)$ while the robot-command variable and feasible set remain unchanged. A planar study instantiates impedance and admittance; the same running layer accepts an impedance--admittance--impedance r

arXiv:2609.00659v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Cooperative perception allows a drone fleet to combine observations from multiple viewpoints. However, existing systems typically fix their feature-sharing policies at design time or adapt to only one context signal. This is a poor fit for aerial fleets, whose missions, bandwidth, formation geometry, and scene coverage can change during flight. We quantify the cost of context-blind sharing on UAV3D by controlling feature exchange at evaluation time using a released DiscoNet checkpoint, without retraining. Mission-aware sharing matches full-sharing accuracy while using only 5-10% of the bytes. The best tested peer selection policy changes with the byte budget, and choosing the wrong policy loses up to 7.7 AP. Moreover, under a constrained budget, two policies with the same full-scene accuracy differ by 5.9 AP within the mission region, showing that multiple context axes must be considered jointly. We therefore propose the context plane, a

arXiv:2609.00648v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: For noisy real-world environments such as those in open public spaces, spoken dialogue systems for both autonomous robots and avatars should be carefully designed to provide enhanced speech signals. These signals can be used either for speech recognition or, in the case of an avatar system, transmitted as clean speech to a remote operator. This work proposes an audio system that can be used for both these scenarios and was demonstrated as a proof-of-concept at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka. The first scenario is an attentive listening system with the android ERICA, and the second is a conversation support system with mobile Teleco robots, with one of them acting as an avatar for a remote operator. Both systems feature multi-party conversation and use a single multi-channel microphone array. We describe how our audio system not only enhances the speech of multiple speakers in a noisy environment, but provides a form of spatial audio which a

arXiv:2609.00641v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Standardized benchmarks have played a central role in advancing robot manipulation learning, yet most focus on ground-supported manipulation systems, which limits their applicability to dynamics-critical domains such as aerial manipulation (AM). AM presents distinct system-level challenges, including environmental disturbances, coupled dynamics between the manipulator and floating base, and constrained degrees of freedom. Consequently, task performance depends jointly on robot embodiment, low-level control, and high-level policy design. We introduce AM-Bench, a modular simulation suite and benchmark for multirotor-based AM policy learning. AM-Bench includes representative embodiments spanning underactuated, fully actuated, and overactuated systems, 12 tasks across contact, transport, and constrained interaction, configurable aerodynamic disturbances and actuator saturation, standard low-level controllers, and baseline policy-learning algo

arXiv:2609.00612v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: We present a system of two wearable pneumatic haptic devices that supports continuous, closed-loop, bidirectional tactile interaction at perceptually relevant force and temporal scales. A single device can contain up to twelve pressure sensing channels connected to textile-based pneumatic pouches. Each channel in a device can be used as a sensor, an actuator, or both. As an actuator with integrated sensing, the channel generates stable skin indentation through local closed-loop control. As a sensor, a channel can be mounted (or worn) on any surface, including on a robot gripper or on the human body, and used to measure touch interactions with the environment or a human user. A distributed architecture supports sustained pressure output, rapid dynamic response, and wireless pairing of identical devices in a system to transmit and reproduce tactile pressure signals in real time. Device-level characterization demonstrates force bandwidth exc

arXiv:2609.00555v1 Announce Type: new Abstract: Language-driven dexterous grasp models, such as DextER, perform well when instructions specify where to grasp, but we find they fail systematically when an instruction also specifies where not to grasp (e.g., "grasp the handle but avoid the body"). Existing training corpora, DexGYSNet among them, contain virtually no avoidance instructions, and collecting examples for every possible constraint is impractical. Moreover, because every part mentioned during training denotes a contact target, models may interpret a forbidden part as another region to grasp rather than one to avoid. We therefore introduce an inference-time framework for negation-constrained dexterous grasping that requires no negation-specific training examples. Combining Sequential Monte Carlo with classifier-free guidance, our method guides sampling toward the instructed part while pruning candidates headed for the forbidden region, without any negation examples during train