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Abstract
This dissertation is focused on a series of discrete advances in the overarching field of cooperative robotics. Cooperative robotics, as defined in this context involves both the extension of robotic behaviors through designed cooperative capabilities, and the extension of human capabilities through cooperative robotic interaction. This work is broken into two main parts: the first addresses advances relating to cooperative interactions between robots; the second involves advances in a robotic surgical manipulator designed to extend human capabilities. We propose a new method for cooperative robotic diagnosis and explore the possibility of cooperative robotic repair. This method is evaluated on a heterogeneous modular robotic platform and demonstrates the utility of the approach. Two cooperative mobile robotic platforms are also investigated and testbeds are developed as part of this effort. The designs associated with the development of these testbeds are detailed, various modeling approaches are explored, and experimental results are presented. The second part of this work describes the development of a snake-like surgical manipulator. The design decisions for this development, and design quantifications are presented. Several approaches are explored for characterizing the configuration of the manipulator, and a method for estimating configuration based on system inputs is proposed. Results demonstrate an effectiveness in characterizing manipulator configurations and predicting drive cable lengths based on these manipulator configurations. Results also show an ability to achieve manipulator configurations from prescribed cable lengths with reasonable accuracy and reduced reliance visual feedback.