1,210 research outputs found
Robustness: a new SLIP model based criterion for gait transitions in bipedal locomotion
Bipedal locomotion is a phenomenon that still eludes a fundamental and
concise mathematical understanding. Conceptual models that capture some
relevant aspects of the process exist but their full explanatory power is not
yet exhausted. In the current study, we introduce the robustness criterion
which defines the conditions for stable locomotion when steps are taken with
imprecise angle of attack. Intuitively, the necessity of a higher precision
indicates the difficulty to continue moving with a given gait. We show that the
spring-loaded inverted pendulum model, under the robustness criterion, is
consistent with previously reported findings on attentional demand during human
locomotion. This criterion allows transitions between running and walking, many
of which conserve forward speed. Simulations of transitions predict Froude
numbers below the ones observed in humans, nevertheless the model
satisfactorily reproduces several biomechanical indicators such as hip
excursion, gait duty factor and vertical ground reaction force profiles.
Furthermore, we identify reversible robust walk-run transitions, which allow
the system to execute a robust version of the hopping gait. These findings
foster the spring-loaded inverted pendulum model as the unifying framework for
the understanding of bipedal locomotion.Comment: unpublished, in preparatio
Sample Efficient Optimization for Learning Controllers for Bipedal Locomotion
Learning policies for bipedal locomotion can be difficult, as experiments are
expensive and simulation does not usually transfer well to hardware. To counter
this, we need al- gorithms that are sample efficient and inherently safe.
Bayesian Optimization is a powerful sample-efficient tool for optimizing
non-convex black-box functions. However, its performance can degrade in higher
dimensions. We develop a distance metric for bipedal locomotion that enhances
the sample-efficiency of Bayesian Optimization and use it to train a 16
dimensional neuromuscular model for planar walking. This distance metric
reflects some basic gait features of healthy walking and helps us quickly
eliminate a majority of unstable controllers. With our approach we can learn
policies for walking in less than 100 trials for a range of challenging
settings. In simulation, we show results on two different costs and on various
terrains including rough ground and ramps, sloping upwards and downwards. We
also perturb our models with unknown inertial disturbances analogous with
differences between simulation and hardware. These results are promising, as
they indicate that this method can potentially be used to learn control
policies on hardware.Comment: To appear in International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids
'2016), IEEE-RAS. (Rika Antonova and Akshara Rai contributed equally
Influence of frictions on gait optimization of a biped robot with an anthropomorphic knee
This paper presents the energy consumption of a biped robot with a new modelled structure of knees which is called rolling knee (RK). The dynamic model, the actuators and the friction coefficients of the gear box are known. The optimal energy consumption can also be calculated. The first part of the paper is to validate the new kinematic knee on a biped robot by comparing the energy consumption during a walking step of the identical biped but with revolute joint knees. The cyclic gait is given by a succession of Single Support Phase (SSP) followed by an impact. The gait trajectories are parameterized by cubic spline functions. The energetic criterion is minimized through optimization while using the simplex algorithm and Lagrange penalty functions to meet the constraints of stability and deflection of the mobile foot. An analysis of the friction coefficients is done by simulation to compare the human characteristics to the robot with RK. The simulation results show an energy consumption reduction through the biped with rolling knee configuration. The influence of friction coefficients shows the energy consumption of biped robot is close to that of the human.ANR-09-SEGI-011-R2A2; French National Research Agenc
Deep Kernels for Optimizing Locomotion Controllers
Sample efficiency is important when optimizing parameters of locomotion
controllers, since hardware experiments are time consuming and expensive.
Bayesian Optimization, a sample-efficient optimization framework, has recently
been widely applied to address this problem, but further improvements in sample
efficiency are needed for practical applicability to real-world robots and
high-dimensional controllers. To address this, prior work has proposed using
domain expertise for constructing custom distance metrics for locomotion. In
this work we show how to learn such a distance metric automatically. We use a
neural network to learn an informed distance metric from data obtained in
high-fidelity simulations. We conduct experiments on two different controllers
and robot architectures. First, we demonstrate improvement in sample efficiency
when optimizing a 5-dimensional controller on the ATRIAS robot hardware. We
then conduct simulation experiments to optimize a 16-dimensional controller for
a 7-link robot model and obtain significant improvements even when optimizing
in perturbed environments. This demonstrates that our approach is able to
enhance sample efficiency for two different controllers, hence is a fitting
candidate for further experiments on hardware in the future.Comment: (Rika Antonova and Akshara Rai contributed equally
Fast Untethered Soft Robotic Crawler with Elastic Instability
High-speed locomotion of animals gives them tremendous advantages in
exploring, hunting, and escaping from predators in varying environments.
Enlightened by the fast-running gait of mammals like cheetahs and wolves, we
designed and fabricated a single-servo-driving untethered soft robot that is
capable of galloping at a speed of 313 mm/s or 1.56 body length per second
(BL/s), 5.2 times and 2.6 times faster than the reported fastest predecessors
in mm/s and BL/s, respectively, in literature. An in-plane prestressed hair
clip mechanism (HCM) made up of semi-rigid materials like plastic is used as
the supporting chassis, the compliant spine, and the muscle force amplifier of
the robot at the same time, enabling the robot to be rapid and strong. The
influence of factors including actuation frequency, substrates,
tethering/untethering, and symmetric/asymmetric actuation is explored with
experiments. Based on previous work, this paper further demonstrated the
potential of HCM in addressing the speed problem of soft robots
Don't break a leg: Running birds from quail to ostrich prioritise leg safety and economy in uneven terrain
Cursorial ground birds are paragons of bipedal running that span a 500-fold mass range from quail to ostrich. Here we investigate the task-level control priorities of cursorial birds by analysing how they negotiate single-step obstacles that create a conflict between body stability (attenuating deviations in body motion) and consistent leg force–length dynamics (for economy and leg safety). We also test the hypothesis that control priorities shift between body stability and leg safety with increasing body size, reflecting use of active control to overcome size-related challenges. Weight-support demands lead to a shift towards straighter legs and stiffer steady gait with increasing body size, but it remains unknown whether non-steady locomotor priorities diverge with size. We found that all measured species used a consistent obstacle negotiation strategy, involving unsteady body dynamics to minimise fluctuations in leg posture and loading across multiple steps, not directly prioritising body stability. Peak leg forces remained remarkably consistent across obstacle terrain, within 0.35 body weights of level running for obstacle heights from 0.1 to 0.5 times leg length. All species used similar stance leg actuation patterns, involving asymmetric force–length trajectories and posture-dependent actuation to add or remove energy depending on landing conditions. We present a simple stance leg model that explains key features of avian bipedal locomotion, and suggests economy as a key priority on both level and uneven terrain. We suggest that running ground birds target the closely coupled priorities of economy and leg safety as the direct imperatives of control, with adequate stability achieved through appropriately tuned intrinsic dynamics
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