Rafael Gomes Braga

Mr. Rafael Gomes Braga


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

5Years (2022-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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26 March 2025 in Frontiers in Robotics and AI
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
RBRafael Gomes Braga
Rafael Gomes Braga
MTMuhammad Owais Tahir
Muhammad Owais Tahir
SKSina Karimi
Sina Karimi
UDUlrich Dah-Achinanon
Ulrich Dah-Achinanon
IIIvanka Iordanova
Ivanka Iordanova
DSDavid St-Onge
David St-Onge
Introduction: The deployment of mobile robots on construction sites has gained increasing attention from both academic research and industry due to labor shortages and the demand for more efficient project management. However, integrating robotic systems into dynamic and hazardous construction environments remains challenging. Key obstacles include reliance on extensive on-site infrastructure, limited adaptability, and a disconnect between system capabilities and field operators' needs.Methods: This study introduces a comprehensive, modular robotic platform designed for construction site navigation and asset localization. The system incorporates Building Information Modeling (BIM)-based semantic navigation, active Ultra-Wideband (UWB) beacon tracking for precise equipment detection, and a cascade navigation stack that integrates global BIM layouts with real-time local sensing. Additionally, a user-centric graphical user interface (GUI) was developed to enable intuitive control for non-expert operators, improving field usability.Results: The platform was validated through real-world deployments and simulations, demonstrating reliable navigation in complex layouts and high localization accuracy. A user study was conducted, confirming improved task efficiency and reduced cognitive load for operators.Discussion: The results indicate that the proposed system provides a scalable, infrastructure-light solution for construction site robotics. By bridging the gap between advanced robotic technologies and practical deployment, this work contributes to the development of more adaptable and user-friendly robotic solutions for construction environments.

26 August 2022 in Sensors
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
HZHamed Montazer Zohour
Hamed Montazer Zohour
BBBruno Belzile
Bruno Belzile
RBRafael Gomes Braga
Rafael Gomes Braga
DSDavid St-Onge
David St-Onge
Several industrial pick-and-place applications, such as collaborative assembly lines, rely on visual tracking of the parts. Recurrent occlusions are caused by the manipulator motion decrease line productivity and can provoke failures. This work provides a complete solution for maintaining the occlusion-free line of sight between a variable-pose camera and the object to be picked by a 6R manipulator that is not wrist-partitioned. We consider potential occlusions by the manipulator as well as the operator working at the assembly station. An actuated camera detects the object goal (part to pick) and keeps track of the operator. The approach consists of using the complete set of solutions obtained from the derivation of the univariate polynomial equation solution to the inverse kinematics (IK). Compared to numerical iterative solving methods, our strategy grants us a set of joint positions (posture) for each root of the equation from which we extract the best (minimizing the risks of occlusion). Our analytical-based method, integrating collision and occlusion avoidance optimizations, can contribute to greatly enhancing the efficiency and safety of collaborative assembly workstations. We validate our approach with simulations as well as with physical deployments on commercial hardware.

15 September 2024
Verified
Book Chapter
Closed access
PDF file
RBRafael Gomes Braga
Rafael Gomes Braga
VVVivek Shankar Varadharajan
Vivek Shankar Varadharajan
GBGiovanni Beltrame
Giovanni Beltrame
DSDavid St-Onge
David St-Onge