A Variable Stiffness Actuator Module With Favorable Mass Distribution for a Bio-inspired Biped Robot

Achieving human-like locomotion with humanoid platforms often requires the use of variable stiffness actuators (VSAs) in multi-degree-of-freedom robotic joints. VSAs possess 2 motors for the control of both stiffness and equilibrium position. Hence, they add mass and mechanical complexity to the design of humanoids. Mass distribution of the legs is an important design parameter, because it can have detrimental effects on the cost of transport. This work presents a novel VSA module, designed to be implemented in a bio-inspired humanoid robot, Binocchio, that houses all components on the same side of the actuated joint. This feature allowed to place the actuator's mass to more proximal locations with respect to the actuated joint instead of concentrating it at the joint level, creating a more favorable mass distribution in the humanoid. Besides, it also facilitated it's usage in joints with centralized multi-degree of freedom (DoF) joints instead of cascading single DoF modules. The design of the VSA module is presented, including it's integration in the multi-DoFs joints of Binocchio. Experiments validated the static characteristics of the VSA module to accurately estimate the output torque and stiffness. The dynamic responses of the driving and stiffening mechanisms are shown. Finally, experiments show the ability of the actuation system to replicate the envisioned human-like kinematic, torque and stiffness profiles for Binocchio

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

Climbing and Walking Robots

With the advancement of technology, new exciting approaches enable us to render mobile robotic systems more versatile, robust and cost-efficient. Some researchers combine climbing and walking techniques with a modular approach, a reconfigurable approach, or a swarm approach to realize novel prototypes as flexible mobile robotic platforms featuring all necessary locomotion capabilities. The purpose of this book is to provide an overview of the latest wide-range achievements in climbing and walking robotic technology to researchers, scientists, and engineers throughout the world. Different aspects including control simulation, locomotion realization, methodology, and system integration are presented from the scientific and from the technical point of view. This book consists of two main parts, one dealing with walking robots, the second with climbing robots. The content is also grouped by theoretical research and applicative realization. Every chapter offers a considerable amount of interesting and useful information

Parallel architectures for humanoid robots

© 2020 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The structure of humanoid robots can be inspired to human anatomy and operation with open challenges in mechanical performance that can be achieved by using parallel kinematic mechanisms. Parallel mechanisms can be identified in human anatomy with operations that can be used for designing parallel mechanisms in the structure of humanoid robots. Design issues are outlined as requirements and performance for parallel mechanisms in humanoid structures. The example of LARMbot humanoid design is presented as from direct authors’ experience to show an example of the feasibility and efficiency of using parallel mechanisms in humanoid structures. This work is an extension of a paper presented at ISRM 2019 conference (International Symposium on Robotics and Mechatronics)

Bio-Inspired Robotics

Modern robotic technologies have enabled robots to operate in a variety of unstructured and dynamically-changing environments, in addition to traditional structured environments. Robots have, thus, become an important element in our everyday lives. One key approach to develop such intelligent and autonomous robots is to draw inspiration from biological systems. Biological structure, mechanisms, and underlying principles have the potential to provide new ideas to support the improvement of conventional robotic designs and control. Such biological principles usually originate from animal or even plant models, for robots, which can sense, think, walk, swim, crawl, jump or even fly. Thus, it is believed that these bio-inspired methods are becoming increasingly important in the face of complex applications. Bio-inspired robotics is leading to the study of innovative structures and computing with sensory–motor coordination and learning to achieve intelligence, flexibility, stability, and adaptation for emergent robotic applications, such as manipulation, learning, and control. This Special Issue invites original papers of innovative ideas and concepts, new discoveries and improvements, and novel applications and business models relevant to the selected topics of ``Bio-Inspired Robotics''. Bio-Inspired Robotics is a broad topic and an ongoing expanding field. This Special Issue collates 30 papers that address some of the important challenges and opportunities in this broad and expanding field

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

Humanoid Robot Soccer Locomotion and Kick Dynamics: Open Loop Walking, Kicking and Morphing into Special Motions on the Nao Robot

Striker speed and accuracy in the RoboCup (SPL) international robot soccer league is becoming increasingly important as the level of play rises. Competition around the ball is now decided in a matter of seconds. Therefore, eliminating any wasted actions or motions is crucial when attempting to kick the ball. It is common to see a discontinuity between walking and kicking where a robot will return to an initial pose in preparation for the kick action. In this thesis we explore the removal of this behaviour by developing a transition gait that morphs the walk directly into the kick back swing pose. The solution presented here is targeted towards the use of the Aldebaran walk for the Nao robot. The solution we develop involves the design of a central pattern generator to allow for controlled steps with realtime accuracy, and a phase locked loop method to synchronise with the Aldebaran walk so that precise step length control can be activated when required. An open loop trajectory mapping approach is taken to the walk that is stabilized statically through the use of a phase varying joint holding torque technique. We also examine the basic princples of open loop walking, focussing on the commonly overlooked frontal plane motion. The act of kicking itself is explored both analytically and empirically, and solutions are provided that are versatile and powerful. Included as an appendix, the broader matter of striker behaviour (process of goal scoring) is reviewed and we present a velocity control algorithm that is very accurate and efficient in terms of speed of execution