Robotics in an Intermittent Dynamical Environment: A Prelude to Juggling

Abstract

We explore a very simple representative of a class of of robotic tasks which require "dynamic dexterity", among them the task of "juggling". In this initial paper we propose a formal definition of a "vertical one juggle", report a few preliminary analytical results, and offer illustrative simulations. This analysis is being currently applied to the design of and experimentation with "juggling algorithms" for a one-degree of freedom "robot" operative in the gravitational field.