Simulating a Flexible Robotic System based on Musculoskeletal Modeling

Humanoid robotics offers a unique research tool for understanding the human brain and body. The synthesis of human motion is a complex procedure that involves accurate reconstruction of movement sequences, modeling of musculoskeletal kinematics, dynamics and actuation, and characterization of reliable performance criteria. Many of these processes have much in common with the problems found in robotics research, with the recent advent of complex humanoid systems. This work presents the design and development of a new-generation bipedal robot. Its modeling and simulation has been realized by using an open-source software to create and analyze dynamic simulation of movement: OpenSim. Starting from a study by Fuben He, our model aims to be used as an innovative approach to the study of a such type of robot in which there are series elastic actuators represented by active and passive spring components in series with motors. It has provided of monoarticular and biarticular joint in a very similar manner to human musculoskeletal model. This thesis is only the starting point of a wide range of other possible future works: from the control structure completion and whole-body control application, to imitation learning and reinforcement learning for human locomotion, from motion test on at ground to motion test on rough ground, and obviously the transition from simulation to practice with a real elastic bipedal robot biologically-inspired that can move like a human bein

Humanoid Robots

For many years, the human being has been trying, in all ways, to recreate the complex mechanisms that form the human body. Such task is extremely complicated and the results are not totally satisfactory. However, with increasing technological advances based on theoretical and experimental researches, man gets, in a way, to copy or to imitate some systems of the human body. These researches not only intended to create humanoid robots, great part of them constituting autonomous systems, but also, in some way, to offer a higher knowledge of the systems that form the human body, objectifying possible applications in the technology of rehabilitation of human beings, gathering in a whole studies related not only to Robotics, but also to Biomechanics, Biomimmetics, Cybernetics, among other areas. This book presents a series of researches inspired by this ideal, carried through by various researchers worldwide, looking for to analyze and to discuss diverse subjects related to humanoid robots. The presented contributions explore aspects about robotic hands, learning, language, vision and locomotion

A Time of Flight on-Robot Proximity Sensing System for Collaborative Robotics

The sensor system presented in this work demonstrates the results of designing an industrial grade exteroceptive sensing device for proximity sensing for collaborative robots. The intention of this design\u27s application is to develop an on-robot small footprint proximity sensing device to prevent safety protected stops from halting a robot during a manufacturing process. Additionally, this system was design to be modular and fit on an size or shape robotic link expanding the sensor system\u27s use cases vastly. The design was assembled and put through a number of benchmark tests to validate the performance of the time of flight (ToF) sensor system when used in proximity sensing: Single Sensor Characterization, Sensor Overlap Characterization, and Sensor Ranging Under Motion. Through these tests, the ToF sensor ring achieves real time data throughput while minimizing blind spots. Lastly, the sensor system was tested at a maximum throughput load of 32 ToF sensors and maintained a stable throughput of data from all sensors in real time

Analysis and generation of highly dynamic motions of anthropomorphic systems: application to parkour

Cette thèse propose une approche interdisciplinaire originale du traitement du mouvement humain corps-complet grâce à l'utilisation couplée d'approches issues de la biomécanique, du contrôle moteur et de la robotique. Les méthodes biomécaniques sont utilisées pour l'enregistrement, le traitement et l'analyse du mouvement humain. L'approche > du contrôle moteur est étendue à l'étude des mouvements hautement dynamiques. Ceci permet de déterminer si d'éventuelles tâches dynamiques sont contrôlées et stabilisées par le cerveau, puis d'inférer une organisation hiérarchique des tâches motrices. Le formalisme de l'espace des tâches utilisé en robotique pour la génération de mouvement corps-complet ainsi que la hiérarchie des tâches extraites dans l'étude du contrôle moteur sont utilisés pour simuler des mouvements humains hautement dynamiques. Cette approche permet de mieux comprendre le mouvement humain et de générer des mouvements inspirés de l'humain pour d'autres systèmes anthropomorphes tel que des robots ou avatars. La discipline du Parkour, impliquant des actions hautement dynamiques tels que des sauts et des techniques d'atterisage, est choisie pour illustrer l'approche proposée.This thesis proposes an original and interdisciplinary approach to the treatment of whole-body human movements through the synergistic utilization of biomechanics, motor control and robotics. Robust methods of biomechanics are used to record, process and analyze whole-body human motions. The Uncontrolled Manifold approach (UCM) of motor control is extended to study highly dynamic movements processed in the biomechanical study, in order to determine if hypothesized dynamic tasks are being controlled stably by the central nervous system. This extension permits also to infer a hierarchical organization of the controlled dynamic tasks. The task space formalism of motion generation in robotics is used to generate whole-body motion by taking into account the hierarchy of tasks extracted in the motor control study. This approach permits to better understand the organization of human dynamic motions and provide a new methodology to generate whole-body human motions with anthropomorphic systems. A case study of highly dynamic and complex movements of Parkour, including jumps and landings, is utilized to illustrate the proposed approach

Program and Proceedings: The Nebraska Academy of Sciences 1880-2013

PROGRAM FRIDAY, APRIL 19, 2013 REGISTRATION FOR ACADEMY, Lobby of Lecture wing, Olin Hall Aeronautics and Space Science, Session A, Olin 249 Aeronautics and Space Science, Session B, Olin 224 Collegiate Academy, Biology Session A, Olin B Biological and Medical Sciences, Session A, Olin 112 Biological and Medical Sciences, Session B, Smith Callen Conference Center NE Chapter, Nat\u27l Council For Geographic Education, Olin 325 Junior Academy, Judges Check-In, Olin 219 Junior Academy, Senior High REGISTRATION, Olin Hall Lobby Chemistry and Physics, Section A, Chemistry, Olin A Chemistry and Physics, Section B, Physics, Planetarium Collegiate Academy, Chemistry and Physics, Session A, Olin 324 Junior Academy, Senior High Competition, Olin 124, Olin 131 Aeronautics and Space Science, Poster Session, Olin 249 Anthropology, Olin 111 NWU Health and Sciences Graduate School Fair, Olin and Smith Curtiss Halls Aeronautics and Space Science, Poster Session, Olin 249 MAIBEN MEMORIAL LECTURE, OLIN B Bob Feurer, North Bend High School, Making People Smarter Using Habits of Mind LUNCH, PATIO ROOM, STORY STUDENT CENTER (pay and carry tray through cafeteria line, or pay at NAS registration desk) Aeronautics Group, Sunflower Room Biological and Medical Sciences, Session C, Olin 112 Biological and Medical Sciences, Session D, Smith Callen Conference Center Chemistry and Physics, Section A, Chemistry, Olin A Collegiate Academy, Biology Session A, Olin B Collegiate Academy, Biology Session B, Olin 249 Collegiate Academy, Chemistry and Physics, Session B, Olin 324 Junior Academy, Judges Check-In, Olin 219 Junior Academy, Junior High REGISTRATION, Olin Hall Lobby Junior Academy, Senior High Competition, (Final), Olin 110 Anthropology, Olin 111 Teaching of Science and Math, Olin 224 Applied Science and Technology, Olin 325 Junior Academy, Junior High Competition, Olin 124, Olin 131 NJAS Board/Teacher Meeting, Olin 219 BUSINESS MEETING, OLIN B AWARDS RECEPTION for NJAS, Scholarships, Members, Spouses, and Guests First United Methodist Church, 2723 N 50th Street, Lincoln, N

A Bio-inspired architecture for adaptive quadruped locomotion over irregular terrain

Tese de doutoramento Programa Doutoral em Engenharia Electrónica e de ComputadoresThis thesis presents a tentative advancement on walking control of small quadruped and humanoid position controlled robots, addressing the problem of walk generation by combining dynamical systems approach to motor control, insights from neuroethology research on vertebrate motor control and computational neuroscience. Legged locomotion is a complex dynamical process, despite the seemingly easy and natural behavior of the constantly present proficiency of legged animals. Research on locomotion and motor control in vertebrate animals from the last decades has brought to the attention of roboticists, the potential of the nature’s solutions to robot applications. Recent knowledge on the organization of complex motor generation and on mechanics and dynamics of locomotion has been successfully exploited to pursue agile robot locomotion. The work presented on this manuscript is part of an effort on the pursuit in devising a general, model free solution, for the generation of robust and adaptable walking behaviors. It strives to devise a practical solution applicable to real robots, such as the Sony’s quadruped AIBO and Robotis’ DARwIn- OP humanoid. The discussed solutions are inspired on the functional description of the vertebrate neural systems, especially on the concept of Central Pattern Generators (CPGs), their structure and organization, components and sensorimotor interactions. They use a dynamical systems approach for the implementation of the controller, especially on the use of nonlinear oscillators and exploitation of their properties. The main topics of this thesis are divided into three parts. The first part concerns quadruped locomotion, extending a previous CPG solution using nonlinear oscillators, and discussing an organization on three hierarchical levels of abstraction, sharing the purpose and knowledge of other works. It proposes a CPG solution which generates the walking motion for the whole-leg, which is then organized in a network for the production of quadrupedal gaits. The devised solution is able to produce goal-oriented locomotion and navigation as directed through highlevel commands from local planning methods. In this part, active balance on a standing quadruped is also addressed, proposing a method based on dynamical systems approach, exploring the integration of parallel postural mechanisms from several sensory modalities. The solutions are all successfully tested on the quadruped AIBO robot. In the second part, is addressed bipedal walking for humanoid robots. A CPG solution for biped walking based on the concept of motion primitives is proposed, loosely based on the idea of synergistic organization of vertebrate motor control. A set of motion primitives is shown to produce the basis of simple biped walking, and generalizable to goal-oriented walking. Using the proposed CPG, the inclusion of feedback mechanisms is investigated, for modulation and adaptation of walking, through phase transition control according to foot load information. The proposed solution is validated on the humanoid DARwIn-OP, and its application is evaluated within a whole-body control framework. The third part sidesteps a little from the other two topics. It discusses the CPG as having an alternative role to direct motor generation in locomotion, serving instead as a processor of sensory information for a feedback based motor generation. In this work a reflex based walking controller is devised for the compliant quadruped Oncilla robot, to serve as purely feedback based walking generation. The capabilities of the reflex network are shown in simulations, followed by a brief discussion on its limitations, and how they could be improved by the inclusion of a CPG.Esta tese apresenta uma tentativa de avanço no controlo de locomoção para pequenos robôs quadrúpedes e bipedes controlados por posição, endereçando o problema de geração motora através da combinação da abordagem de sistemas dinâmicos para o controlo motor, e perspectivas de investigação neuroetologia no controlo motor vertebrado e neurociência computacional. Andar é um processo dinâmico e complexo, apesar de parecer um comportamento fácil e natural devido à presença constante de animais proficientes em locomoção terrestre. Investigação na área da locomoção e controlo motor em animais vertebrados nas últimas decadas, trouxe à atenção dos roboticistas o potencial das soluções encontradas pela natureza aplicadas a aplicações robóticas. Conhecimento recente relativo à geração de comportamentos motores complexos e da mecânica da locomoção tem sido explorada com sucesso na procura de locomoção ágil na robótica. O trabalho apresentado neste documento é parte de um esforço no desenho de uma solução geral, e independente de modelos, para a geração robusta e adaptável de comportamentos locomotores. O foco é desenhar uma solução prática, aplicável a robôs reais, tal como o quadrúpede Sony AIBO e o humanóide DARwIn-OP. As soluções discutidas são inspiradas na descrição funcional do sistema nervoso vertebrado, especialmente no conceito de Central Pattern Generators (CPGs), a sua estrutura e organização, componentes e interacção sensorimotora. Estas soluções são implementadas usando uma abordagem em sistemas dinâmicos, focandos o uso de osciladores não lineares e a explorando as suas propriedades. Os tópicos principais desta tese estão divididos em três partes. A primeira parte explora o tema de locomoção quadrúpede, expandindo soluções prévias de CPGs usando osciladores não lineares, e discutindo uma organização em três níveis de abstracção, partilhando as ideias de outros trabalhos. Propõe uma solução de CPG que gera os movimentos locomotores para uma perna, que é depois organizado numa rede, para a produção de marcha quadrúpede. A solução concebida é capaz de produzir locomoção e navegação, comandada através de comandos de alto nível, produzidos por métodos de planeamento local. Nesta parte também endereçado o problema da manutenção do equilíbrio num robô quadrúpede parado, propondo um método baseado na abordagem em sistemas dinâmicos, explorando a integração de mecanismos posturais em paralelo, provenientes de várias modalidades sensoriais. As soluções são todas testadas com sucesso no robô quadrupede AIBO. Na segunda parte é endereçado o problema de locomoção bípede. É proposto um CPG baseado no conceito de motion primitives, baseadas na ideia de uma organização sinergética do controlo motor vertebrado. Um conjunto de motion primitives é usado para produzir a base de uma locomoção bípede simples e generalizável para navegação. Esta proposta de CPG é usada para de seguida se investigar a inclusão de mecanismos de feedback para modulação e adaptação da marcha, através do controlo de transições entre fases, de acordo com a informação de carga dos pés. A solução proposta é validada no robô humanóide DARwIn-OP, e a sua aplicação no contexto do framework de whole-body control é também avaliada. A terceira parte desvia um pouco dos outros dois tópicos. Discute o CPG como tendo um papel alternativo ao controlo motor directo, servindo em vez como um processador de informação sensorial para um mecanismo de locomoção puramente em feedback. Neste trabalho é desenhado um controlador baseado em reflexos para a geração da marcha de um quadrúpede compliant. As suas capacidades são demonstradas em simulação, seguidas por uma breve discussão nas suas limitações, e como estas podem ser ultrapassadas pela inclusão de um CPG.The presented work was possible thanks to the support by the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation through the PhD grant SFRH/BD/62047/2009