Introduction

The main research focus is on field robotics. We are engaged in various studies, including the analysis of the driving dynamics of mobile robots in off-road environments, research on autonomous navigation and guidance control, and the behavior analysis of robots and exploration vehicles through dynamic simulations. We also apply machine learning to these challenges. As for applications, we are working on lunar and planetary exploration, construction, agriculture, and electric wheelchairs.

■Robotics and Control Systems
・Research Objective: To develop a method for autonomously landing a UAV on a ground vehicle in rough terrain for UAV-UGV collaborative exploration.
- Title: Autonomous tracking and landing of an unmanned aerial vehicle on a ground vehicle in rough terrain, Aoki Nobuaki, Ishigami Genya （Advanced Robotics） 37 （ 5 ） 344-355 Mar. 2023
・Research Objective: Development of an energy-and-perception-aware planning and navigation framework for unmanned aerial vehicles in GNSS-denied and spatiotemporal wind environments.
- Title: Energy-and-perception-aware planning and navigation framework for unmanned aerial vehicles, Takemura Reiya, Aoki Nobuaki, Ishigami Genya （Advances in Mechanical Engineering） 15 （ 4 ） 168781322311696 Apr. 2023
・Research Objective: To develop a path planning algorithm that incorporates probabilistic fusion of ML models for terrain classification and slip prediction to enhance risk-aware traversability on heterogeneous terrains for planetary rovers.
- Title: Risk-aware Path Planning via Probabilistic Fusion of Traversability Prediction for Planetary Rovers on Heterogeneous Terrains, Endo Masafumi, Taniai Tatsunori, Yonetani Ryo, Ishigami Genya （2023 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA)） 11852-11858 May. 2023
・Research Objective: To develop a regression model that incorporates slip rate and traction force to predict slip ratio for minimizing rover slip in path planning on sandy terrain.
- Title: Modeling of slip rate-dependent traversability for path planning of wheeled mobile robot in sandy terrain, Sakayori Go, Ishigami Genya （Frontiers in Robotics and AI） 11 Jan. 2024
・Research Objective: Developing an uncertainty-aware trajectory planning method for planetary rovers using uncertainty quantification and propagation in traversability prediction.
- Title: Uncertainty-Aware Trajectory Planning: Using Uncertainty Quantification and Propagation in Traversability Prediction of Planetary Rovers, Takemura Reiya, Ishigami Genya （IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine） 31 （ 2 ） 89-99 Jun. 2024
・Research Objective: To develop a tangle- and contact-free path planning method for a tethered mobile robot using deep reinforcement learning.- Title: Tangle- and contact-free path planning for a tethered mobile robot using deep reinforcement learning, Shimada Ryuki, Ishigami Genya （Frontiers in Robotics and AI） 11 Sep. 2024
■Terrain and Environment Interaction/Terramechanics
・Research Objective: To examine the characteristics of granular flow under stable artificial gravity conditions using a centrifuge at the International Space Station.
- Title: Granular flow experiment using artificial gravity generator on International Space Station, Ozaki Shingo, Ishigami Genya, Otsuki Masatsugu, Miyamoto Hirdy, Wada Koji, Watanabe Yutaro, Nishino Takaru, Kojima Hiromichi, Soda Keinosuke, Nakao Yuki, Sutoh Masataku, Maeda Takao, Kobayashi Taizo （npj Microgravity） 9 （ 1 ） 61 Dec. 2023
・Research Objective: To identify the range of key parameters of an adhesive force model in DEM simulations corresponding to specific sand moisture content.
- Title: Parameter study and identification of DEM modeling for varied sand moisture content based on bulldozing experiment, Sato Naohiro, Ishigami Genya （Journal of Terramechanics） 113-114 100971 Jun. 2024
・Research Objective: To design and develop a jamming-based stiffness-adjustable wheel for improved traversability on soft terrain.
- Title: Design and development of jamming-based stiffness-adjustable wheel on soft terrain, Suthisomboon Tachadol, Bonardi Stephane, Ishigami Genya （Journal of Terramechanics） 117 101014 Feb. 2025

Areas of Research

・Robotics, Intelligent Machine Systems
・Space Exploration Engineering
・Mechanical Dynamics, Mechatronics
・Terramechanics

Social Contributions

・Enhancement of Field Robotics
・Advancement in Space Exploration and Utilization