Synthesis bounds for distributed manipulation using logarithmic-radial potential fields

Distributed manipulation systems induce motions on objects through the application of forces at many points of contact. Current forms of distributed manipulation include multiple mobile robots, vibrating plates, actively controlled arrays of air jets, and planar micro and macro-mechanical arrays of actuators. The authors have presented a new form of distributed manipulation using passive air flow fields, which has been experimentally demonstrated and a computational method to locate equilibria. This paper presents a methodology for guaranteeing the existence of the equilibria and its synthetic usage for efficient manipulation of objects using passive air flow fields.