arXiv subjects

Francesco Wanderlingh

Publications and source records attributed to Francesco Wanderlingh.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Towards Realistic 3D Sonar Simulation

As underwater robotics research increasingly addresses complex 3D perception and autonomous navigation, the fidelity of sonar simulation has become a key factor in algorithm development. Current simulation frameworks typically rely on geometry-driven rendering, approximating 3D sonar as an underwater equivalent to LiDAR, which fails to account for fundamental acoustic phenomena such as refraction, multi-path interference, and phase-dependent signal formation. This paper proposes a modular architecture for realistic 3D sonar simulation that integrates GPU-accelerated graphics engines with physically grounded acoustic propagation principles. We implement a volumetric 3D sonar model within the NVIDIA Isaac Sim environment, modeled after the Water Linked 3D-15 sensor, and integrate it into a comprehensive underwater simulation framework. The system is validated through a hardware-in-the-loop configuration, where a modified FastLIO2 SLAM pipeline, executed on an NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano, performs sensor fusion using synthetic 3D sonar, DVL, IMU, and pressure data. Finally, a qualitative comparison between simulated outputs and real-world data from harbor sheet-pile inspections is provided, characterizing the remaining sim-to-real gap and establishing a roadmap toward fully acoustics-driven volumetric sensing.

cs.RO↗

arXiv2025

A distributed motion planning approach to cooperative underwater acoustic source tracking

Accurate tracking of underwater acoustic sources is critical for a variety of marine applications, yet remains a challenging task due to communication constraints and environmental uncertainties. In this regard, this paper addresses the problem of underwater acoustic source tracking using a team of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). The core idea is to optimize the guidance of each agent to achieve coordinated motion planning that leads to optimal geometric configurations with respect to the target, thereby enhancing tracking performance. To tackle this, we propose a Distributed Model Predictive Control (DMPC) framework to improve performance and robustness. The control problem is formulated as a multi-objective optimization task, incorporating geometric observability, proximity to the target, and communication connectivity. A Receding Horizon Control (RHC) approach, coupled with an Unscented Transform (UT)-based prediction scheme, is employed to ensure longterm tracking accuracy while accounting for uncertainties. The optimization is distributed using the sequential multi-agent decision-making framework, combined with the Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA) communication protocol. The proposed methodology is implemented in a simulation environment that accounts for the constraints of acoustic communication. The approach is compared with existing methods such as decentralized MPC and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO).

eess.SY↗

arXiv2017

Flexible human-robot cooperation models for assisted shop-floor tasks

The Industry 4.0 paradigm emphasizes the crucial benefits that collaborative robots, i.e., robots able to work alongside and together with humans, could bring to the whole production process. In this context, an enabling technology yet unreached is the design of flexible robots able to deal at all levels with humans' intrinsic variability, which is not only a necessary element for a comfortable working experience for the person but also a precious capability for efficiently dealing with unexpected events. In this paper, a sensing, representation, planning and control architecture for flexible human-robot cooperation, referred to as FlexHRC, is proposed. FlexHRC relies on wearable sensors for human action recognition, AND/OR graphs for the representation of and reasoning upon cooperation models, and a Task Priority framework to decouple action planning from robot motion planning and control.

cs.RO↗