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Hagen Schempf
Principal Systems Scientist

Associated center: NREC

Email address: hagen@rec.ri.cmu.edu

Mailing address:
Carnegie Mellon University
Robotics Institute
Newell-Simon Hall 4105
5000 Forbes Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

For more information, see my personal homepage.

Jump to: Research interests | Keywords | Projects | Publications

Research interests

Understanding and quantifying nonlinear phenomena in manipulator transmissions is necessary to improve the dynamic performance of manipulators in force control tasks. Thus the design of actuators and transmissions has to be a crucial component of any manipulator design phase. Cascaded joint modules such as those found in hyper-redundant or serpentine manipulators clearly require careful design and control if high performance positioning and force control at the endpoint, or anywhere along the manipulator for that matter, is desired.

Control of manipulators mounted on mobile bases requires different kinds of controller structures to take advantage of large workspaces and avoid singularities while exploiting all the dynamic characteristics of vehicles and manipulators. Such criteria are important especially in underwater and space applications, where teleoperated and autonomous behaviors have to be robust and stable.

Inspection and cleanup of hazardous waste sites using novel teleoperated working machines requires that new designs be developed to gain access and safely perform a wide variety of tasks-mostly in underground storage tank settings. Design and development of new locomotion methods, alternate tooling devices, and research into theories of rough terrain locomotion, are just some of the necessary activities that need to be undertaken.

Industrial automation in the process monitoring and materials handling arenas are of interest to me as well, including areas such as paper and pulp, meat processing, oil exploration and production and bulk shipping.

This section last updated - January 1999.

Research interest keywords

hazardous environments, manipulation, and manufacturing

Current Projects [Past projects]

Burro - Automates copper processing
ExplorerTM - The NREC is developing an untethered, long range (2,500 ft +), gas line visual inspection robot system that provides real-time video from inside the line, can be deployed in live lines, and can pass through all angles and bends of both 6" and 8" lines.
Gas Mains Repair and Inspection System for Live Entry Environments - GRISLEE, a remotely controllable, modular leak-detection, imaging and repair robot system for the real-time in-situ inspection and repair of live distribution gas mains.
Remoted Bulldozer for Training and Human Factors Evaluation - A Teleoperated Bulldozer

Recent publications [View all 30 publications]


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