Foot structure, control method and humanoid robot

Abstract

The invention discloses a foot structure, a control method and a humanoid robot, the foot structure comprises a shell, a foot pad, a sensor component, an inertial measurement unit and a control device, and a cavity is formed in the shell; the foot pad is arranged in the cavity and located at the bottom of the shell. The at least two sensor parts are used for respectively measuring the ground vertical counter-acting force at the two ends of the foot pad in the length direction; the inertial measurement unit measures motion information of the foot structure; the control device is configured to be capable of receiving information of all the sensor components and the inertial measurement unit so as to achieve closed-loop control over motion. Through combination of the sensor component and the inertial measurement unit, multi-dimensional sensor integration and high-level motion parameter monitoring, a finer and more intelligent walking control strategy is provided for the humanoid robot, the motion stability and the adaptive capacity of the humanoid robot in a complex environment are remarkably improved, and the humanoid robot is more intelligent. The problem of unstable walking caused by ground condition changes is reduced, and application of the technology in more scenes is promoted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of robotics technology, and in particular to a foot structure, a control method and a humanoid robot. Background Art

[0002] Humanoid robot technology is increasingly being used in a variety of fields, including service, exploration, and rescue. However, humanoid robots in related technologies often have limitations in walking stability and carrying capacity on complex or uneven surfaces, especially in foot design, which fails to fully consider ground adaptability and shock absorption requirements, affecting the overall performance and operating efficiency of the robot. Summary of the invention

[0003] The purpose of the present application is to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present application proposes a foot structure, which enhances the motion stability and adaptability of a humanoid robot to different ground environments through an optimized foot design.

[0004] The present application also proposes a control method for the above-mentioned foot structure.

[0005] The present application also proposes a humanoid robot comprising the above-mentioned foot structure.

[0006] The foot structure according to the first embodiment of the present application includes:

[0007] A shell body having a cavity therein;

[0008] A foot pad, disposed in the cavity and located at the bottom of the shell;

[0009] At least two sensor components, used to measure the vertical reaction force of the ground at both ends of the length direction of the foot pad respectively;

[0010] an inertial measurement unit, for measuring motion information of the foot structure;

[0011] The control device is configured to receive information from each of the sensor components and the inertial measurement unit to achieve closed-loop control of the movement.

[0012] According to the foot structure of the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, there are at least the following beneficial effects: through the combination of sensor components and inertial measurement units, multi-dimensional sensor integration and high-level motion parameter monitoring, a more sophisticated and intelligent walking control strategy is provided for the humanoid robot, thereby significantly improving the motion stability and adaptability of the humanoid robot in complex environments, reducing the problem of walking instability caused by changes in ground conditions, and promoting the efficient application of humanoid robot technology in more scenarios.

[0013] According to the foot structure described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the sensor component includes a magnet sensing component and a linear Hall effect sensor, the magnet sensing component is used to generate displacement when the foot pad touches the ground, and the linear Hall effect sensor is used to sense the displacement of the magnet to achieve non-contact linear position measurement.

[0014] According to the foot structure described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the magnetic sensing component includes a cantilever beam and a magnetic structural component, the magnetic structural component is arranged on the cantilever beam, and the cantilever beams are respectively arranged at both ends of the length direction of the foot pad and are used for sensing force, so that the magnetic structural component can be displaced when the foot pad touches the ground.

[0015] According to the foot structure described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the linear Hall effect sensor is an encoder;

[0016] And / or at least two linear Hall effect sensors are respectively arranged at both ends of the foot pad in the length direction and cooperate with each other to collect data.

[0017] According to the foot structure described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the foot structure also includes a wear detection component, which is used to detect the wear condition information of the foot pad. The control device is configured to receive information from the wear detection component, each of the sensor components and the inertial measurement unit to achieve closed-loop control of the movement of the humanoid robot.

[0018] According to the foot structure described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application, the foot pad is made of non-metallic material;

[0019] And / or the foot pad is detachably connected to the shell.

[0020] According to the second aspect of the present application, the method for controlling the foot structure includes the following steps:

[0021] The foot structure of the humanoid robot contacts the ground;

[0022] At least two sensor components sense the forces on the heel and toes respectively, and transmit signals to the control device to analyze the flatness of the ground to determine the conditions of the two feet;

[0023] Judging the walking posture of a humanoid robot based on the state of both feet touching the ground;

[0024] The inertial measurement unit provides closed-loop feedback of speed and foot posture based on the data of the foot structure in motion;

[0025] The walking posture of the humanoid robot is adjusted according to the data of the sensor component and the inertial measurement unit.

[0026] According to the control method of the foot structure described in the second aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the sensor component includes a magnetic sensing component and a linear Hall effect sensor, the magnetic sensing component includes a cylindrical magnet structure, assuming that the radius R and length D of the cylinder are fixed, and the material of the magnet structure determines the residual magnetism Br;

[0027] The linear Hall effect sensor responds proportionally to the south magnetic flux density. According to the expected mapping relationship between magnetic flux density and distance, the magnetic flux density sensed by the linear Hall effect sensor is converted into the magnet displacement distance according to the following formula, and the distance Z from the linear Hall effect sensor to the magnet is calculated by substituting it into the formula;

[0028]

[0029] According to the control method of the foot structure described in the second aspect of the embodiment of the present application, the magnet structure of the foot structure generates displacement when it touches the ground, and the displacement value is obtained by subtracting the Z value after touching the ground from the Z value before touching the ground, that is, ΔZ; wherein the humanoid robot determines the touching condition of the foot according to the ΔZ values ​​of the toes and the heels, and calculates the vertical force on the foot through the ΔZ value combined with the mechanical structure model;

[0030] And / or a multi-axis inertial measurement unit measures the angular velocity, acceleration, pitch angle, and heading angle parameters of the foot structure in real time, and combines them with the data measured by the sensor to enable the control device to achieve control.

[0031] A humanoid robot according to an embodiment of the third aspect of the present application includes: a foot structure as described in the embodiment of the first aspect of the present application.

[0032] It is not difficult to understand that the control method of the foot structure in the second aspect embodiment of the present application and the humanoid robot in the third aspect embodiment of the present application both have the technical effects of the foot structure in the first aspect embodiment as mentioned above, and therefore will not be elaborated upon.

[0033] Additional aspects and advantages of the present application will be given in part in the description below, and in part will become apparent from the description below, or will be learned through the practice of the present application. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The present application is further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments;

[0035] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present application;

[0036] Figure 2 This is an action flow chart of an embodiment of the present application;

[0037] Figure 3 Schematic diagram of a magnet in an embodiment of the present application.

[0038] Reference numerals:

[0039] 100, housing; 110, cavity;

[0040] 200, foot pad;

[0041] 300, sensor component; 310, magnetic sensing component;

[0042] 400. Inertial measurement unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below, and examples of the embodiments are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals throughout represent the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and are only used to explain the present application, and cannot be understood as limiting the present application.

[0044] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that descriptions involving orientation, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be understood as a limitation on the present application.

[0045] In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, "more" means at least two, "greater than", "less than", "exceed", etc. are understood to exclude the number itself, and "above", "below", "within", etc. are understood to include the number itself. If there is a description of "first" or "second", it is only used for the purpose of distinguishing technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0046] In the description of this application, unless otherwise clearly defined, terms such as setting, installing, connecting, etc. should be understood in a broad sense, and technicians in the relevant technical field can reasonably determine the specific meanings of the above terms in this application after combining the specific content of the technical solution.

[0047] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The foot structure of the first aspect of the present application is used to solve the problem of large inertia of leg movement caused by the large weight and size of the foot of a humanoid robot. The foot structure includes a shell 100, a foot pad 200, a sensor component 300, an inertial measurement unit 400 and a control device.

[0048] A cavity 110 is provided in the shell 100; a foot pad 200 is arranged in the cavity 110 and located at the bottom of the shell 100; at least two sensor components 300 are used to measure the vertical reaction force of the ground at both ends of the length direction of the foot pad 200 respectively; an inertial measurement unit 400 is used to measure the motion information of the foot structure; and the control device is configured to receive information from each sensor component 300 and the inertial measurement unit 400 to achieve closed-loop control of the motion.

[0049] It can be understood that through the combination of the sensor component 300 and the inertial measurement unit 400, multi-dimensional sensor integration and high-level motion parameter monitoring, a more sophisticated and intelligent walking control strategy is provided for the humanoid robot, thereby significantly improving the motion stability and adaptability of the humanoid robot in complex environments, reducing the problem of walking instability caused by changes in ground conditions, and promoting the efficient application of humanoid robot technology in more scenarios.

[0050] In some embodiments, the multi-axis inertial measurement unit 400 in the foot structure includes an accelerometer, a gyroscope, a magnetometer, etc., which is used to measure the angular velocity, acceleration, pitch angle, heading angle and other parameters of the foot. The multi-axis inertial measurement unit 400 is connected to the control system of the sensor and control device, and transmits the monitoring data to the control system in real time to achieve precise control of the movement of the humanoid robot.

[0051] In some embodiments of the present application, the sensor component 300 includes a magnetic sensing component 310 and a linear Hall effect sensor, wherein the magnetic sensing component 310 is used to generate displacement when the foot pad 200 touches the ground, and the linear Hall effect sensor is used to sense the displacement of the magnet to achieve non-contact linear position measurement. It can be understood that the magnetic sensing component 310 and the linear Hall effect sensor constitute a touch module for mechanical parameter measurement, thereby accurately measuring the vertical reaction force of the ground on the heel and toe positions, and providing real-time data support for walking posture control.

[0052] In some embodiments of the present application, the magnetic sensing assembly 310 includes a cantilever beam and a magnetic structure, and the magnetic structure is arranged on the cantilever beam. The cantilever beams are respectively arranged at both ends of the length direction of the foot pad 200 and are used to sense the action of force, so that the magnetic structure can be displaced when the foot pad 200 touches the ground. It can be understood that the touch module includes a cantilever beam installed at the heel and toe, and each cantilever beam has a built-in magnet deformation block for generating displacement through the action of force. The touch module adopts a displacement-based measurement method, and these cantilever beams will be slightly displaced by the action of force. Compared with the traditional strain gauge design, this cantilever beam design is more robust and can better resist impact and overload.

[0053] In some embodiments, a cantilever beam is installed at the heel and toe of the sensor, each of which has a built-in magnet deformation block, and one end of the cantilever beam is fixed. The cantilever beam allows the magnet to fit the foot pad 200 to sense displacement. Based on the setting of the linear Hall effect sensor, a reliable non-contact linear position measurement method is achieved. In some embodiments, this can be achieved by using a magnet and a linear Hall effect sensor arranged in a head-on configuration.

[0054] In some embodiments of the present application, the linear Hall effect sensor is an encoder; it is understood that the use of an encoder as a sensor type can achieve high-precision data acquisition and improve the accuracy of humanoid robot motion control. The touch module is based on a linear Hall effect sensor and realizes non-contact linear position measurement by using a magnet and a linear Hall effect sensor arranged in a head-on configuration.

[0055] In some embodiments of the present application, at least two linear Hall effect sensors that cooperate with each other to collect data are respectively arranged at both ends of the length direction of the foot pad 200. It can be understood that the foot pad 200 has more than two sensors, and the sensors are respectively installed at the heel and toe positions. By arranging multiple sensors at key positions of the heel and toes and integrating two or more sensors, these sensors can not only accurately sense ground contact information, but also reduce external interference with data measurement.

[0056] In some embodiments of the present application, the foot structure also includes a wear detection component, which is used to detect the wear information of the foot pad 200. The control device is configured to receive information from the wear detection component, each sensor component 300 and the inertial measurement unit 400 to achieve closed-loop control of the movement of the humanoid robot. It can be understood that the wear detection component constitutes a wear monitoring system, and the wear monitoring system will regularly feedback the wear of the foot pad 200 to the control system. When the wear reaches a certain level, the control system will issue a prompt to replace the foot pad 200. The operator can quickly replace the foot pad 200 according to the prompt to ensure that the humanoid robot always maintains a good working condition.

[0057] In some embodiments, a metal guide is embedded inside each foot pad 200, and combined with sensor technology, the wear status of the foot pad is monitored in real time to ensure that the robot always has the best ground contact effect.

[0058] In some embodiments of the present application, the foot pad 200 is made of a non-metallic material; it is understandable that there is a cavity 110 at the bottom of the foot structure, and the cavity 110 is used to install the non-metallic foot pad 200. The foot structure is made of wear-resistant material to increase the service life of the foot. In some embodiments, a fixing structure is provided inside the cavity 110 of the foot structure to ensure the stability of the installation of the non-metallic foot pad 200.

[0059] In some embodiments of the present application, the foot pad 200 is detachably connected to the housing 100. It is understandable that a cavity 110 is provided at the bottom of the foot structure for inserting a replaceable non-metallic foot pad 200. This design not only increases the friction between the humanoid robot and the ground, effectively improving the grip performance, but also reduces the vibration generated during walking through the buffering characteristics of the non-metallic material, protecting the internal structure of the humanoid robot and the objects being carried from vibration damage.

[0060] In some embodiments, the foot pad 200 is installed using threaded fasteners, and in some embodiments, the foot pad 200 is fastened to the foot using screws, making the fastening operation more convenient. The foot pad 200 uses a quick disassembly and replacement design, which facilitates the rapid replacement of foot pads of different materials or textures according to actual application scenarios to adapt to various ground conditions such as tiles, carpets, and grass.

[0061] Reference Figures 1 to 3 , the control method of the foot structure of the second embodiment of the present application, the control method of the foot structure may be, the control method of the foot structure includes the foot structure of the first embodiment of the present application,

[0062] The foot structure of the humanoid robot contacts the ground;

[0063] At least two sensor components 300 sense the forces on the heel and toes respectively, and transmit signals to the control device to analyze the flatness of the ground to determine the condition of the two feet;

[0064] Judging the walking posture of a humanoid robot based on the state of both feet touching the ground;

[0065] The inertial measurement unit 400 provides closed-loop feedback of speed and foot posture based on the data of the foot structure in motion;

[0066] The walking posture of the humanoid robot is adjusted according to the data of the sensor component 300 and the inertial measurement unit 400 .

[0067] It is understandable that through the comprehensive application of the above technical solutions, the motion stability and adaptability of humanoid robots in complex environments have been significantly improved, and the problem of unstable walking caused by changes in ground conditions has been reduced. At the same time, through intelligent wear monitoring and rapid replacement mechanisms, the service life of humanoid robots has been extended and maintenance costs have been reduced. In addition, multi-dimensional sensor integration and high-level motion parameter monitoring provide humanoid robots with more sophisticated and intelligent walking control strategies, promoting the efficient application of humanoid robot technology in more scenarios.

[0068] In some embodiments of the present application, the sensor component 300 includes a magnetic sensing component 310 and a linear Hall effect sensor, the magnetic sensing component 310 includes a cylindrical magnet structure, assuming that the radius R and the length D of the cylinder are fixed, and the material of the magnet structure determines the residual magnetism Br;

[0069] The linear Hall effect sensor responds proportionally to the south magnetic flux density. According to the expected mapping relationship between magnetic flux density and distance, the magnetic flux density sensed by the linear Hall effect sensor is converted into the magnet displacement distance according to the following formula, and the distance Z from the linear Hall effect sensor to the magnet is calculated by substituting it into the formula;

[0070]

[0071] In some embodiments of the present application, the magnet structure generates displacement when the foot structure touches the ground, and the displacement value is obtained by subtracting the Z value after touching the ground from the Z value before touching the ground, that is, ΔZ; wherein the humanoid robot determines the touching condition of the foot according to the ΔZ values ​​of the toes and the heels, and calculates the vertical force acting on the foot through the ΔZ value combined with the mechanical structure model.

[0072] It can be understood that a linear Hall effect sensor responds proportionally to the south pole magnetic flux density. According to the expected mapping relationship between magnetic flux density and distance, the magnetic flux density sensed by the linear Hall sensor can be converted into the magnet displacement distance according to the following formula system. Figure 3 The cylinder shown in the figure has a fixed radius R and length D. The material of the magnet can determine the residual magnetism Br. Substituting it into the formula, the distance Z from the linear Hall effect sensor to the magnet can be calculated.

[0073] When the humanoid robot's foot touches the ground, the built-in magnet deformation block will produce a large deformation displacement. The value of the deformation displacement can be obtained by subtracting the Z value after touching the ground from the Z value before touching the ground, that is, ΔZ, so the humanoid robot can judge the touching situation of the foot according to the ΔZ value of the toes and heels. The value of ΔZ can also be combined with the mechanical structure model to calculate the vertical force on the foot. In practical applications, when the humanoid robot walks on different ground surfaces, the control system will automatically adjust the gait and center of gravity of the humanoid robot according to the information fed back by the sensor to ensure the stability of the humanoid robot. For example, when walking on a smooth ground, the control system will increase the friction between the foot and the ground by adjusting the material or texture of the foot pad 200; when encountering an uneven ground, the sensor will promptly sense the changes in the ground, and the control system will adjust the leg movements of the humanoid robot accordingly, so that the foot can better adapt to the ups and downs of the ground.

[0074] In some embodiments, the wear monitoring system will regularly feed back the wear of the foot pad 200 to the control system. When the wear reaches a certain level, the control system will issue a prompt to replace the foot pad 200. The operator can quickly replace the foot pad 200 according to the prompt to ensure that the humanoid robot always maintains a good working condition. During the replacement of the foot pad 200, the user only needs to use the corresponding tool to loosen the screws to easily remove the worn foot pad 200 and install a new foot pad 200. This quick replacement design greatly reduces the maintenance time of the humanoid robot and improves work efficiency.

[0075] In order to further improve the adaptability of the humanoid robot, in another embodiment, an adaptive adjustment device is added to the foot structure, which can automatically adjust the pressure distribution of the foot according to the hardness and elasticity of the ground, so that the humanoid robot can maintain a stable walking posture on different ground surfaces.

[0076] In some embodiments of the present application, the multi-axis inertial measurement unit 400 measures the angular velocity, acceleration, pitch angle, and heading angle of the foot structure in real time, and combines the data measured by the sensor to enable the control device to achieve control. It is understandable that the multi-axis inertial measurement unit 400 will measure the angular velocity, acceleration, pitch angle, heading angle and other parameters of the foot in real time, and these parameters will be combined with the data measured by the sensor to provide more comprehensive information for the control system, thereby achieving more precise motion control.

[0077] Reference Figures 1 to 3 The humanoid robot of the third aspect embodiment of the present application includes the foot structure of the first aspect embodiment of the present application, which can improve movement stability and adapt to various ground conditions, and proposes an application method in the design of a humanoid robot.

[0078] The technical features of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily combined. To make the description concise, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above-described embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0079] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail above in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, but the present application is not limited to the above embodiments, and various changes can be made within the knowledge scope of ordinary technicians in the technical field without departing from the purpose of the present application.

Claims

1. A foot structure, characterized in that: include: A shell body having a cavity therein; A foot pad, disposed in the cavity and located at the bottom of the shell; At least two sensor components, used to measure the vertical reaction force of the ground at both ends of the length direction of the foot pad respectively; an inertial measurement unit, for measuring motion information of the foot structure; The control device is configured to receive information from each of the sensor components and the inertial measurement unit to achieve closed-loop control of the movement.

2. The foot structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sensor component includes a magnet sensing component and a linear Hall effect sensor. The magnet sensing component is used to generate displacement when the foot pad touches the ground, and the linear Hall effect sensor is used to sense the displacement of the magnet to achieve non-contact linear position measurement.

3. The foot structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The magnetic sensing component includes a cantilever beam and a magnetic structure. The magnetic structure is arranged on the cantilever beam. The cantilever beams are respectively arranged at both ends of the foot pad in the length direction and are used to sense the force so that the magnetic structure can be displaced when the foot pad touches the ground.

4. The foot structure according to claim 2, characterized in that: The linear Hall effect sensor is an encoder; And / or at least two linear Hall effect sensors are respectively arranged at both ends of the foot pad in the length direction and cooperate with each other to collect data.

5. The foot structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foot structure also includes a wear detection component, which is used to detect wear information of the foot pad. The control device is configured to receive information from the wear detection component, each of the sensor components and the inertial measurement unit to achieve closed-loop control of the movement of the humanoid robot.

6. The foot structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The foot pad is made of non-metallic material; And / or the foot pad is detachably connected to the shell.

7. A method for controlling a foot structure, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: The foot structure of the humanoid robot contacts the ground; At least two sensor components sense the forces on the heel and toes respectively, and transmit signals to the control device to analyze the flatness of the ground to determine the conditions of the two feet; Judging the walking posture of a humanoid robot based on the state of both feet touching the ground; The inertial measurement unit provides closed-loop feedback of speed and foot posture based on the data of the foot structure in motion; The walking posture of the humanoid robot is adjusted according to the data of the sensor component and the inertial measurement unit.

8. The method for controlling a foot structure according to claim 7, characterized in that: The sensor component includes a magnetic sensing component and a linear Hall effect sensor. The magnetic sensing component includes a cylindrical magnet structure. Assuming that the radius R and length D of the cylinder are fixed, the material of the magnet structure determines the residual magnetism Br. The linear Hall effect sensor responds proportionally to the south magnetic flux density. According to the expected mapping relationship between magnetic flux density and distance, the magnetic flux density sensed by the linear Hall effect sensor is converted into the magnet displacement distance according to the following formula, and the distance Z from the linear Hall effect sensor to the magnet is calculated by substituting it into the formula; 9. The method for controlling a foot structure according to claim 8, characterized in that: When the foot structure touches the ground, the magnet structure generates displacement, and the displacement value is obtained by subtracting the Z value after touching the ground from the Z value before touching the ground, that is, ΔZ; wherein the humanoid robot determines the touching condition of the foot according to the ΔZ values ​​of the toes and the heels, and calculates the vertical force on the foot through the ΔZ value combined with the mechanical structure model; And / or a multi-axis inertial measurement unit measures the angular velocity, acceleration, pitch angle, and heading angle parameters of the foot structure in real time, and combines them with the data measured by the sensor to enable the control device to achieve control.

10. A humanoid robot, characterized in that: include: A foot structure as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6.

Images