Acoustics
Related papers: 20
About
Acoustics, in the context of robotics and AI, refers to the science of sound generation, propagation, and detection, and its application to sensing, communication, and environmental interaction. In robotics, acoustic technologies are most prominently employed through ultrasonic sensors, which emit high-frequency sound waves and measure their reflections to estimate distances, detect obstacles, and build spatial maps of unknown environments. This enables mobile robots to navigate safely, avoid collisions, and model free space in real time. Beyond navigation, acoustics underpins underwater communication and sensor networking, where radio waves are ineffective and sound becomes the primary medium for transmitting data across distances. Acoustic principles also appear in vibration analysis, structural monitoring, and energy harvesting applications, where mechanical wave behavior informs the design of flexible and piezoelectric systems. The importance of acoustics lies in its ability to provide non-contact, low-cost, and robust sensing across diverse environments — from indoor mobile platforms to subsea vehicles — making it a foundational modality in robot perception and autonomous systems design.
Top Researchers
Top Cited Papers
Adaptive representation of dynamics during learning of a motor task
Reza Shadmehr, FA Mussa-Ivaldi
Citations: 2666 • 1994
Efficient Bipedal Robots Based on Passive-Dynamic Walkers
Steven H. Collins, Andy Ruina, Russ Tedrake, Martijn Wisse
Citations: 1878 • 2005
Robot Analysis: The Mechanics of Serial and Parallel Manipulators
Lung‐Wen Tsai
Citations: 1851 • 1999
The central nervous system stabilizes unstable dynamics by learning optimal impedance
Etienne Burdet, Rieko Osu, David W. Franklin, Theodore E. Milner, Mitsuo Kawato
Citations: 1116 • 2001
GelSight: High-Resolution Robot Tactile Sensors for Estimating Geometry and Force
Wenzhen Yuan, Siyuan Dong, Edward H. Adelson
Citations: 1102 • 2017
Wearable and Highly Sensitive Graphene Strain Sensors for Human Motion Monitoring
Yan Wang, Li Wang, Tingting Yang, Xiao Li, Xiaobei Zang, Miao Zhu, Kunlin Wang, Dehai Wu, Hongwei Zhu
Citations: 1071 • 2014
Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) as biomimetic sensors, actuators and artificial muscles - a review
Mohsen Shahinpoor, Yoseph Bar‐Cohen, J. Simpson, Joseph G. Smith
Citations: 1015 • 1998
Research challenges and applications for underwater sensor networking
John Heidemann, Wei Ye, Jack Wills, Affan A. Syed, Yuan Li
Citations: 1015 • 2006
Dynamics of a cantilever beam attached to a moving base
T. R. Kane, R. R. Ryan, A. K. Banerjeer
Citations: 745 • 1987
On the first principle theory of nanogenerators from Maxwell's equations
Zhong Lin Wang
Citations: 693 • 2019
Millimeter-scale flexible robots with programmable three-dimensional magnetization and motions
Tianqi Xu, Jiachen Zhang, Mohammad Salehizadeh, Onaizah Onaizah, Eric Diller
Citations: 682 • 2019
The Energy Harvesting Eel: a small subsurface ocean/river power generator
George W. Taylor, James R. Burns, S.A. Kammann, W.B. Powers, T.R. Welsh
Citations: 645 • 2001
Vibration Control of Active Structures: An Introduction
Citations: 637 • 1999
Dielectric Elastomers as Electromechanical Transducers
Federico Carpi, Danilo Emilio De Rossi, Roy Kornbluh, Ronald Pelrine
Citations: 610 • 2008
Wearable Microfluidic Diaphragm Pressure Sensor for Health and Tactile Touch Monitoring
Yuji Gao, Hiroki Ota, Ethan W. Schaler, Kevin Chen, Allan Zhao, Wei Gao, Hossain M. Fahad, Yonggang Leng, Anzong Zheng, Furui Xiong, Chuchu Zhang, Li‐Chia Tai, Peida Zhao, Ronald S. Fearing, Ali Javey
Citations: 599 • 2017
Peano-HASEL actuators: Muscle-mimetic, electrohydraulic transducers that linearly contract on activation
Nicholas Kellaris, Vidyacharan Gopaluni Venkata, Garrett M. Smith, Shane K. Mitchell, Christoph Keplinger
Citations: 532 • 2018
Dynamics of Multibody Systems
Robert E. Roberson, R. Schwertassek
Citations: 521 • 1988
Microengineering Pressure Sensor Active Layers for Improved Performance
Sara Rachel Arussy Ruth, Vivian R. Feig, Helen Tran, Zhenan Bao
Citations: 511 • 2020
Mechanical Programming of Soft Actuators by Varying Fiber Angle
Fionnuala Connolly, Panagiotis Polygerinos, Conor J. Walsh, Katia Bertoldi
Citations: 500 • 2015
Highly Sensitive, Flexible, and Wearable Pressure Sensor Based on a Giant Piezocapacitive Effect of Three-Dimensional Microporous Elastomeric Dielectric Layer
Donguk Kwon, Tae‐Ik Lee, Jongmin Shim, Seunghwa Ryu, Min Seong Kim, Seung‐Hwan Kim, Taek‐Soo Kim, Inkyu Park
Citations: 498 • 2016