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A passive multiple-trailer system provides various practical advantages for multi-functional service robots. However, motion control is difficult because the kinematic model is highly nonlinear. The kinematic design of a trailer system was proposed in prior research of ours. In this paper, it is shown how the backward motion of a robot with n passive trailers can be controlled. Once the desired trajectory of the last trailer is computed, the control input of the pushing robot is obtained through the proposed control scheme. Some experimental issues on reversing the trailer system are addressed. This paper provides an answer to the following question: "Does the system work well even if there are sensing or modeling errors?" Although it is difficult to obtain general analytic solutions for the above research question, a practical answer will be explored though simplified analysis and experiments. Experimental verifications are carried out using a mobile robot with three passive trailers. The experimental results show that backward-motion control can be successfully carried out by applying the proposed control scheme.

We firstly introduce a facile method for the site-specific direct physical exfoliation of few-layer graphene sheets from cheap and easily enlargeable graphite grown on a Ni foil using an optimized polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) stamp. By decreasing the PDMS cross-linking time, the PDMS elasticity is reduced to ∼52 kPa, similar to that of a typical gel. As a result of this process, the PDMS becomes more flexible yet remains in a handleable state as a stamp. Furthermore, the PDMS adhesion to a graphite/Ni surface, as measured by the peel strength, increases to ∼5.1 N m⁻¹, which is approximately 17 times greater than that of typical PDMS. These optimized properties allow the PDMS stamp to have improved contact with the graphite/Ni surface, including the graphite wrinkles. This process is verified, and changes in surface morphology are observed using a 3D laser scanning microscope. Under conformal contact, the optimized PDMS stamp demonstrates the site-specific direct physical exfoliation of few-layer graphene sheets including mono- and bi-layer graphene sheets from the graphite/Ni substrate without the use of special equipment, conditions or chemicals. The number of layers of the exfoliated graphene and its high quality are revealed by the measured Raman spectroscopy. The exfoliation method using tunable elasticity and adhesion of the PDMS stamp can be used not only for cost-effective mass production of defect-less few-layer graphene from the graphite substrate for micro/nano device arrays but also for nano-contact printing of various structures, devices and cells.

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