7 research outputs found
Trial-and-Error Learning of Repulsors for Humanoid QP-based Whole-Body Control
International audienceWhole body controllers based on quadratic programming allow humanoid robots to achieve complex motions. However, they rely on the assumption that the model perfectly captures the dynamics of the robot and its environment, whereas even the most accurate models are never perfect. In this paper, we introduce a trial-and-error learning algorithm that allows whole-body controllers to operate in spite of inaccurate models, without needing to update these models. The main idea is to encourage the controller to perform the task differently after each trial by introducing repulsors in the quadratic program cost function. We demonstrate our algorithm on (1) a simple 2D case and (2) a simulated iCub robot for which the model used by the controller and the one used in simulation do not match
Whole-Body Compliant Control of iCub: first results with OpenSoT
International audienc
A survey on policy search algorithms for learning robot controllers in a handful of trials
Most policy search algorithms require thousands of training episodes to find
an effective policy, which is often infeasible with a physical robot. This
survey article focuses on the extreme other end of the spectrum: how can a
robot adapt with only a handful of trials (a dozen) and a few minutes? By
analogy with the word "big-data", we refer to this challenge as "micro-data
reinforcement learning". We show that a first strategy is to leverage prior
knowledge on the policy structure (e.g., dynamic movement primitives), on the
policy parameters (e.g., demonstrations), or on the dynamics (e.g.,
simulators). A second strategy is to create data-driven surrogate models of the
expected reward (e.g., Bayesian optimization) or the dynamical model (e.g.,
model-based policy search), so that the policy optimizer queries the model
instead of the real system. Overall, all successful micro-data algorithms
combine these two strategies by varying the kind of model and prior knowledge.
The current scientific challenges essentially revolve around scaling up to
complex robots (e.g., humanoids), designing generic priors, and optimizing the
computing time.Comment: 21 pages, 3 figures, 4 algorithms, accepted at IEEE Transactions on
Robotic
A survey on policy search algorithms for learning robot controllers in a handful of trials
International audienceMost policy search (PS) algorithms require thousands of training episodes to find an effective policy, which is often infeasible with a physical robot. This survey article focuses on the extreme other end of the spectrum: how can a robot adapt with only a handful of trials (a dozen) and a few minutes? By analogy with the word âbig-data,â we refer to this challenge as âmicro-data reinforcement learning.â In this article, we show that a first strategy is to leverage prior knowledge on the policy structure (e.g., dynamic movement primitives), on the policy parameters (e.g., demonstrations), or on the dynamics (e.g., simulators). A second strategy is to create data-driven surrogate models of the expected reward (e.g., Bayesian optimization) or the dynamical model (e.g., model-based PS), so that the policy optimizer queries the model instead of the real system. Overall, all successful micro-data algorithms combine these two strategies by varying the kind of model and prior knowledge. The current scientific challenges essentially revolve around scaling up to complex robots, designing generic priors, and optimizing the computing time
Methods to improve the coping capacities of whole-body controllers for humanoid robots
Current applications for humanoid robotics require autonomy in an environment specifically
adapted to humans, and safe coexistence with people. Whole-body control is
promising in this sense, having shown to successfully achieve locomotion and manipulation
tasks. However, robustness remains an issue: whole-body controllers can still
hardly cope with unexpected disturbances, with changes in working conditions, or
with performing a variety of tasks, without human intervention. In this thesis, we
explore how whole-body control approaches can be designed to address these issues.
Based on whole-body control, contributions have been developed along three main
axes: joint limit avoidance, automatic parameter tuning, and generalizing whole-body
motions achieved by a controller. We first establish a whole-body torque-controller
for the iCub, based on the stack-of-tasks approach and proposed feedback control
laws in SE(3). From there, we develop a novel, theoretically guaranteed joint limit
avoidance technique for torque-control, through a parametrization of the feasible joint
space. This technique allows the robot to remain compliant, while resisting external
perturbations that push joints closer to their limits, as demonstrated with experiments
in simulation and with the real robot. Then, we focus on the issue of automatically
tuning parameters of the controller, in order to improve its behavior across different
situations. We show that our approach for learning task priorities, combining domain
randomization and carefully selected fitness functions, allows the successful transfer of
results between platforms subjected to different working conditions. Following these
results, we then propose a controller which allows for generic, complex whole-body
motions through real-time teleoperation. This approach is notably verified on the robot
to follow generic movements of the teleoperator while in double support, as well as to
follow the teleoperator\u2019s upper-body movements while walking with footsteps adapted
from the teleoperator\u2019s footsteps. The approaches proposed in this thesis therefore
improve the capability of whole-body controllers to cope with external disturbances,
different working conditions and generic whole-body motions
Underwater Vehicles
For the latest twenty to thirty years, a significant number of AUVs has been created for the solving of wide spectrum of scientific and applied tasks of ocean development and research. For the short time period the AUVs have shown the efficiency at performance of complex search and inspection works and opened a number of new important applications. Initially the information about AUVs had mainly review-advertising character but now more attention is paid to practical achievements, problems and systems technologies. AUVs are losing their prototype status and have become a fully operational, reliable and effective tool and modern multi-purpose AUVs represent the new class of underwater robotic objects with inherent tasks and practical applications, particular features of technology, systems structure and functional properties