FootTile: a Rugged Foot Sensor for Force and Center of Pressure Sensing in Soft Terrain

In this paper we present FootTile, a foot sensor for reaction force and center of pressure sensing in challenging terrain. We compare our sensor design to standard biomechanical devices, force plates and pressure plates. We show that FootTile can accurately estimate force and pressure distribution during legged locomotion. FootTile weighs 0.9g, has a sampling rate of 330Hz, a footprint of 10 by 10mm and can easily be adapted in sensor range to the required load case. In three experiments we validate: first the performance of the individual sensor, second an array of FootTiles for center of pressure sensing and third the ground reaction force estimation during locomotion in granular substrate. We then go on to show the accurate sensing capabilities of the waterproof sensor in liquid mud, as a showcase for real world rough terrain use

Watch Me Calibrate My Force-Sensing Shoes!

This paper presents a novel method for smaller-sized humanoid robots to self-calibrate their foot force sensors. The method consists of two steps: 1. The robot is commanded to move along planned whole-body trajectories in different double support configurations. 2. The sensor parameters are determined by minimizing the error between the measured and modeled center of pressure (CoP) and ground reaction force (GRF) during the robot's movement using optimization. This is the first proposed autonomous calibration method for foot force-sensing devices in smaller humanoid robots. Furthermore, we introduce a high-accuracy manual calibration method to establish CoP ground truth, which is used to validate the measured CoP using self-calibration. The results show that the self-calibration can accurately estimate CoP and GRF without any manual intervention. Our method is demonstrated using a NAO humanoid platform and our previously presented force-sensing shoes

A bioinspired humanoid foot mechanism

© 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This paper introduces an innovative robotic foot design inspired by the functionality and the anatomy of the human foot. Most humanoid robots are characterized by flat, rigid feet with limited mobility, which cannot emulate the physical behavior of the foot-ground interaction. The proposed foot mechanism consists of three main bodies, to represent the heel, plant, and toes, connected by compliant joints for improved balancing and impact absorption. The functional requirements were extracted from medical literature, and were acquired through a motion capture system, and the proposed design was validated with a numerical simulation

A Novel 3D printed leg design for a Biped Robot

This paper proposes a novel leg design for a humanoid robot that can be 3D printed. More explicitly, the efforts of this paper are to bring some of the more complex leg designs seen in large scale bipedal robot into the realm of smaller bipeds while still allowing for it to be easily reproducible or modified. In order to accomplish this 3D printing technology was utilized, as well as an iterative design process. An ankle and knee powered by linear actuators were first constructed to test the conceptual design of the leg. This was followed by a complete leg design with improved ankle and knee, along with the rest of the leg

Integración de sensores a bordo del robot mini-humanoide Bioloid

En este proyecto se ha desarrollado el pie robótico ROBfoot para ser integrado en plataformas robóticas mini-humanoides. El proyecto nace en la línea de investigación de robótica mini-humanoide de la Asociación de Robótica de la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid persiguiendo aumentar las capacidades de las plataformas robóticas mini-humanoides que disponen. El pie robótico tiene la capacidad reconocer el entorno, procesar información y establecer comunicación con el controlador principal de la plataforma robótica mini-humanoide. Para ello se incorpora un completo sistema de sensorización y se integra un microcontrolador que desempeña la función de controlador del pie robótico, analizando la información de los sensores y comunicandose con el controlador de la plataforma mini-humanoide. El robot mini-humanoide con el pie robótico instalado aumenta su versatilidad al ser posible la programación de nuevas habilidades antes impracticables. Se persigue dotar de la habilidad de ascender y descender por una escalera de manera autónoma y el pie robótico debe tener la capacidad detectar y posicionar los escalones de dicha escalera. Se persigue no obstante el diseño de un pie robótico completo y funcional que sea apto para desempeñar otras funciones y de servir en investigaciones de robótica humanoide. El pie robótico desarrollado ha sido empleado en el concurso nacional de robots mini-humanoides CEABOT donde su funcionamiento ha sido verificado y su utilidad confirmada.ROBfoot, the robotic foot designed for mini-humanoid robots has been developed in this project The project arises inside the mini-humanoids investigation group of Carlos III University of Madrid Robotics Association in order to increase the mini-humanoid robots’ capabilities they posses. The robotic foot recognises the enviroment, processes the information and stablishes communication with the mini-humanoid robot’s main controller. To accomplish this, a complete sensor system is embodied and a microcontroller which acts as the robotic foot’s controller, analyzing information and communicating with the mini-humanoid’s main controller, is integrated. The mini-humanoid robot increases its versatility with the robotic foot installed as new habilities, which their establishment where impossible before, can be programmed. It is pursued to grant the hability to automously climb a stair, so the robotic foot must have the capability to detect the steps of a stair. However, it is intended to design a complete and functional robotic foot able to perform other functions and be useful in humanoid robotics investigations. The robotic foot was used in the national mini-humanoid robotics championship CEABOT where its functioning was verified and its serviceability confirmed.Ingeniería Electrónica Industrial y Automátic