Ball on a beam: stabilization under saturated input control with large basin of attraction

This article is devoted to the stabilization of two underactuated planar systems, the well-known straight beam-and-ball system and an original circular beam-and-ball system. The feedback control for each system is designed, using the Jordan form of its model, linearized near the unstable equilibrium. The limits on the voltage, fed to the motor, are taken into account explicitly. The straight beam-and-ball system has one unstable mode in the motion near the equilibrium point. The proposed control law ensures that the basin of attraction coincides with the controllability domain. The circular beam-and-ball system has two unstable modes near the equilibrium point. Therefore, this device, never considered in the past, is much more difficult to control than the straight beam-and-ball system. The main contribution is to propose a simple new control law, which ensures by adjusting its gain parameters that the basin of attraction arbitrarily can approach the controllability domain for the linear case. For both nonlinear systems, simulation results are presented to illustrate the efficiency of the designed nonlinear control laws and to determine the basin of attraction

Continuous second order sliding mode based finite time tracking of a fully actuated biped robot

International audienceA second order sliding mode controller is modified to form a continuous homogeneous controller. Uniform finite time stability is proved by extending the homogeneity principle of discontinuous systems to the continuous case with uniformly decaying piece-wise continuous nonhomogeneous disturbances. The modified controller is then utilised to track reference trajectories for all the joints of a fully actuated biped robot where the joint torque is modeled as the control input. The modified controller ensures the attainment of a finite settling time between two successive impacts. The main contribution of the paper is to provide straightforward and realizable engineering guidelines for reference trajectory generation and for tuning a robust finite time controller in order to achieve stable gait of a biped in the presence of an external force disturbance. Such a disturbance has destabilising effects in both continuous and impact phases. Numerical simulations of a biped robot are shown to support the theoretical results

From bottom landers to observatory networks

For a long time, deep-sea investigation relied on autonomous bottom landers. Landers can vary in size from 200 kg weight to more than 2 t for the heaviest scientific landers and are used during exploration cruises on medium periods, from one week to some months. Today, new requirements appear. Scientists want to understand in detail the phenomena outlined during exploration cruises, to elaborate a model for future forecasting. For this, it is necessary to deploy instrumentation at a precise location often for a long period. A new mode of ocean science investigation using longterm seafloor observatories to obtain four dimensional data sets has appeared. Although this concept has been proposed for many years, the high level of investment required limits the number of projects implemented. Only multidisciplinary programs, supported by a strong social requirement were funded. Some observatories have been deployed

On-line recursive decomposition of intramuscular EMG signals using GPU-implemented bayesian filtering

Objective: Real-time intramuscular electromyography (iEMG) decomposition, which is needed in biofeedback studies and interfacing applications, is a complex procedure that involves identifying the motor neuron spike trains from a streaming iEMG recording. Methods: We have previously proposed a sequential decomposition algorithm based on a Hidden Markov Model of EMG, which used Bayesian filter to estimate unknown parameters of motor unit (MU) spike trains, as well as their action potentials (MUAPs). Here, we present a modification of this original model in order to achieve a real-time performance of the algorithm as well as a parallel computation implementation of the algorithm on Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). Specifically, the Kalman filter previously used to estimate the MUAPs, is replaced by a least-mean-square filter. Additionally, we introduce a number of heuristics that help to omit the most improbable decomposition scenarios while searching for the best solution. Then, a GPU-implementation of the proposed algorithm is presented. Results: Simulated iEMG signals containing up to 10 active MUs, as well as five experimental fine-wire iEMG signals acquired from the tibialis anterior muscle, were decomposed in real time. The accuracy of decompositions depended on the level of muscle activation, but in all cases exceeded 85%. Conclusion: The proposed method and implementation provide an accurate, real-time interface with spinal motor neurons. Significance: The presented real time implementation of the decomposition algorithm substantially broadens the domain of its application

Simulation of motor unit action potential recordings from intramuscular multichannel scanning electrodes

Multi-channel intramuscular EMG (iEMG) provides information on motor neuron behavior, muscle fiber (MF) innervation geometry and, recently, has been proposed as a means to establish a human-machine interface. Objective: to provide a reliable benchmark for computational methods applied to such recordings, we propose a simulation model for iEMG signals acquired by intramuscular multi-channel electrodes. Methods: we propose several modifications to the existing motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) simulation methods, such as farthest point sampling (FPS) for the distribution of motor unit territory centers in the muscle cross-section, accurate fiber-neuron assignment algorithm, modeling of motor neuron action potential propagation delay, and a model of multi-channel scanning electrode. Results: we provide representative applications of this model to the estimation of motor unit territories and the iEMG decomposition evaluation. Also, we extend it to a full multi-channel iEMG simulator using classic linear EMG modeling. Conclusions: altogether, the proposed models provide accurate MUAPs across the entire motor unit territories and for various electrode configurations. Significance: they can be used for the development and evaluation of mathematical methods for multi-channel iEMG processing and analysis

Preliminary survey of backdrivable linear actuators for humanoid robots

This paper presents a preliminary survey of the use of direct drive linear motors for joint actuation of a humanoid robot. Their prime asset relies on backdrivability, a significant feature to properly cushion high impacts between feet and ground during dynamic walking or running. Our long-term goal is the design of high performance human size bipedal walking robots. However, this paper focuses on a preliminary feasibility study: the design and experimentation of a mono-actuator lower limb

Nonlinear H ∞ -control under unilateral constraints

International audienceThe primary concern of the work is robust control of hybrid mechanical systems under unilateral constraints of co-dimension one. Nonlinear H∞ output feedback synthesis is developed in the hybrid setting, covering collision phenomena. Robustness issues of the proposed synthesis are numerically illustrated in two benchmark applications. First, the regulation and orbital stabilization of a simple mass-spring-damper system, impacting a barrier, illustrate the capability of the proposed approach via state feedback and position feedback designs, respectively. In order to add a practical value to the present investigation the tracking synthesis of a walking gait is then addressed for a complex bipedal robot with feet. In both applications, good performances are achieved despite imperfect measurements and the presence of both external disturbances, affecting the collision-free motion phase, and uncertainties that occur in the collision phase