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Benjamin Shamah
Senior Research Engineer

No longer a member of RI.

Jump to: Research interests | Keywords | Projects | Publications

I am interested in the design and implementation of robust robotic locomotion in extreme environments. Robotic locomotion is distinct from other motion platforms in that it must integrate the sensing and intelligence to react and learn from the environment.

The design of an integrated mechatronic platform allows robots to transition from bulky combinations of sensing, computing, electronics, and locomotion to an elegantly integrated functional and productive robot.

field robotics, mechanisms, and mechatronics

• Robotic Antarctic Meteorite Search - Developing robots to search for meteorites in Antarctica, as an analog of a planetary exploration robot.
• Sun Synchronous Navigation - We are developing the algorithms, technologies, and experiments that will fulfill the vision of sun-synchronous circumnavigation.

• First Experiment in Sun-Synchronous Exploration
  D. Wettergreen, M.B. Dias, B. Shamah, J. Teza, P. Tompkins, C. Urmson, M.D. Wagner, and W.L. Whittaker
  International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May, 2002, pp. 3501-3507. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [1076 KB] copyrighted

• Steering and Control of a Passively Articulated Robot
  B. Shamah, M.D. Wagner, S. Moorehead, J. Teza, D. Wettergreen, and W.L. Whittaker
  SPIE, Sensor Fusion and Decentralized Control in Robotic Systems IV, Vol. 4571, October, 2001. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [186 KB] copyrighted

• A Sensor Arm for Robotic Antarctic Meteorite Search
  C. Urmson, B. Shamah, J. Teza, M.D. Wagner, D. Apostolopoulos, and W.L. Whittaker
  Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Field and Service Robotics, Helsinki, Finland, July, 2001. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [383 KB] copyrighted

• Robotic Planetary Exploration by Sun-Synchronous Navigation
  D. Wettergreen, B. Shamah, P. Tompkins, and W.L. Whittaker
  Proceedings of the 6th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation in Space (i-SAIRAS '01), Montreal, Canada, June, 2001. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [385 KB] copyrighted

• Robotic Antarctic Meteorite Search: Outcomes
  D. Apostolopoulos, L. Pedersen, B. Shamah, K. Shillcutt, M.D. Wagner, and W.L. Whittaker
  2001 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May, 2001, pp. 4174-4179. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [1698 KB] copyrighted

• The Science Autonomy System of the Nomad Robot
  M.D. Wagner, D. Apostolopoulos, K. Shillcutt, B. Shamah, R. Simmons, and W.L. Whittaker
  2001 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, May, 2001, pp. 1742-1749. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [279 KB] copyrighted

• Technology and Field Demonstration of Robotic Search for Antarctic Meteorites
  D. Apostolopoulos, M.D. Wagner, B. Shamah, L. Pedersen, K. Shillcutt, and W.L. Whittaker
  International Journal of Robotics Research, December, 2000. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [963 KB] copyrighted

• Sun-Synchronous Planetary Exploration
  W.L. Whittaker, G.A. Kantor, B. Shamah, and D. Wettergreen
  AIAA Space 2000 Conference an Exposition, September, 2000. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [203 KB] copyrighted

• Effect of Tire Design and Steering Mode on Robotic Mobility in Barren Terrain
  B. Shamah, D. Apostolopoulos, M.D. Wagner, and W.L. Whittaker
  Proceeding of the International Conference on Field and Service Robots, August, 1999, pp. 287-292. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [146 KB] copyrighted

• Experimental Comparison of Skid Steering Vs. Explicit Steering for a Wheeled Mobile Robot
  B. Shamah
  master's thesis, tech. report CMU-RI-TR-99-06, Robotics Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, March, 1999. [Abstract]
  Download: pdf [869 KB] copyrighted