482 results about "Legged robot" patented technology

A legged vehicle includes a body, wherein the body includes a major axis corresponding to a primary direction of travel; a plurality of leg mechanisms attached to the body, wherein each leg is attached at its proximal end at one or more discrete attachment points, wherein the attachment points are arranged in-line, one behind the other, with respect to the body, each of the legs including actuators attached between the legs and the body and between adjacent leg members, said legs being actuated for movement of a distal end in three dimensions; a control system in communication with the leg mechanisms to coordinate movements of the leg mechanisms according to approximately single track foot placement, and movement of the legged vehicle in three dimensions over the ground; and a power source connected to and driving the control system components and the plurality of actuators and joints which drive the legs.

The invention relates to a combined type bionic quadruped robot controller, which is in a structure similar to a vertebrate nervous system, wherein the controller is divided into a decision layer, a planning layer and an execution layer which respectively correspond to a higher nervous center, a lower nervous center and a motor nerve of an animal. The decision layer for realizing that the robot senses the working environment and generates corresponding motion decision instructions consists of an ARM9 (advanced RISC (reduced instruction-set computer) machine 9) and an environmental information acquisition system, and a real-time operating system is embedded in the ARM9. The core of the planning layer is a walking pattern generator, and is used for planning and solving the motion parameters of each joint according to the decision instructions from the upper layer. The execution layer for controlling the current, the position and the speed of a driving motor in three closed loops consists of a motor controller using a digital signal processor as the core. Data can be effectively transmitted among the three layers in real time through a dual-port RAM (random-access memory) and a CAN (controller area network) bus network. The combined type bionic quadruped robot controller disclosed by the invention has the characteristics of high reliability, high flexibility, extension easiness and maintenance easiness, and has a broad application prospect in the technical field of bionic legged robots.

To provide a robot which autonomously forms and performs an action plan in response to external factors without direct command input from an operator. When reading a story printed in a book or other print media or recorded in recording media or when reading a story downloaded through a network, the robot does not simply read every single word as it is written. Instead, the robot uses external factors, such as a change of time, a change of season, or a change in a user's mood, and dynamically alters the story as long as the changed contents are substantially the same as the original contents. As a result, the robot can read aloud the story whose contents would differ every time the story is read.

A legged robot includes: a body; a leg portion; a foot portion; a falling direction detection unit that detects a falling direction of the body; a control unit; and a distance detection unit that detects a distance between a sole of the foot portion and a road surface. The distance detection unit includes at least three distance sensors provided on the sole, and the control unit includes distance sensor selecting means for selecting a distance sensor and gait data correcting means for correcting gait data based on a detection signal from the distance sensor selected by the distance sensor selecting means. The distance sensor selecting means selects three distance sensors among the distance sensors based on a detection result of the falling direction detection unit.

Methods and apparatus that provide a hardware abstraction layer (HAL) for a robot are disclosed. A HAL can reside as a software layer or as a firmware layer residing between robot control software and underlying robot hardware and/or an operating system for the hardware. The HAL provides a relatively uniform abstract for aggregates of underlying hardware such that the underlying robotic hardware is transparent to perception and control software, i.e., robot control software. This advantageously permits robot control software to be written in a robot-independent manner. Developers of robot control software are then freed from tedious lower level tasks. Portability is another advantage. For example, the HAL efficiently permits robot control software developed for one robot to be ported to another. In one example, the HAL permits the same navigation algorithm to be ported from a wheeled robot and used on a humanoid legged robot.

Systems and methods are presented that use the rate of change of a legged robot's centroidal angular momentum ({dot over (H)}_G) in order to maintain or improve the robot's balance. In one embodiment, a control system determines the current value of {dot over (H)}_G, compares this value to a threshold value, and determines an instruction to send to the robot. Executing the instruction causes the robot to remain stable or become more stable. Systems and methods are also presented that use a value derived from {dot over (H)}_G in order to maintain or improve the robot's balance. In one embodiment, a control system determines the location of the Zero Rate of change of Angular Momentum (ZRAM) point (A), determines the distance between A and the location of the center of pressure of the resultant ground force, compares this value to a threshold value, and determines an instruction to send to the robot.

A control system for a robotic device maneuverable in at least a liquid medium, the system having at least one visual sensor retrieving an image of the device's environment, an image analyzing module receiving the image, determining a presence of an object of a given type therein and analyzing at least one property of the object, a motion calculator determining a desired motion of the device based on the property, and a controller operating a propulsion system of the device to obtain the desired motion. Also, a legged robotic device having a control system including at least one sensor providing data about an environment of the device, the control system using sensor data to determine a desired motion of the device, determining a corresponding required leg motion of each of the legs to produce the desired motion and actuating the legs in accordance with the corresponding required leg motion.

Systems and methods are presented that enable a legged robot to maintain its balance when subjected to an unexpected force. In the reflex phase, the robot withstands the immediate effect of the force by yielding to it. In one embodiment, during the reflex phase, the control system determines an instruction that will cause the robot to perform a movement that generates a negative rate of change of the robot's angular momentum at its centroid in a magnitude large enough to compensate for the destabilizing effect of the force. In the recovery phase, the robot recovers its posture after having moved during the reflex phase. In one embodiment, the robot returns to a statically stable upright posture that maximizes the robot's potential energy. In one embodiment, during the recovery phase, the control system determines an instruction that will cause the robot to perform a movement that increases its potential energy.

A legged robot having a robot structure (20) in the form of a closed kinematic chain and an actuator (26) that contracts when activated. The contraction of the actuator extends a foot element (30) such that it can excerpt a pushing force against a ground surface. When the foot element excerpts sufficient force the legged robot can separate from the ground surface and achieve a dynamic hopping motion.

A robot body includes a front half and rear half and a rotatable and driven articulating joint interconnecting the front half and rear half. Multi-limbed legs extend from the robot body and are adapted to engage a ground surface to form a support polygon for each half and for the robot body. A controller is operative with each leg for determining the position and orientation of the robot body with respect to a support polygon, mapping the posture of the robot body with respect to the ground surface via the articulating joint, and determining a direction and magnitude of locomotion and translating a trajectory of locomotion to specific limb motions for each leg.

The invention relates to a wheel-legged robot chassis suspension device. The wheel-legged robot chassis suspension device comprises a wheel type moving driving mechanism, a wheel type moving mechanism, a leg type traveling mechanism, a leg type traveling driving mechanism and a steering mechanism; the wheel type moving mechanism and the leg type traveling mechanism share three pairs of wheels, each wheel is respectively connected with the wheel type moving mechanism and the leg type traveling mechanism through a tire steering base arranged on the corresponding wheel, an angle sensor is arranged on the upper side of a hub of each wheel, and the phase difference between the angle sensors installed on every two adjacent hubs is 180 degrees; the wheel type moving driving mechanism and the leg type traveling driving mechanism are independent from each other and arranged at the two ends of a wheel-legged robot chassis respectively. Compared with the prior art, the wheel-legged robot chassis suspension device combines a leg type mechanism and a wheel type mechanism, integrates the advantages of the leg type mechanism and the wheel type mechanism, is good in obstacle crossing performance, adaptability and stability, achieves a cushioning effect, and does not need to be adjusted by means of an addition control mechanism; the leg type mechanism and the wheel type mechanism coordinate to work together, the speed is high, maneuverability is good, and control is simple.

The invention relates to a leg mechanism for four-legged robots, the leg mechanism comprises a drive motor, a femur mechanism, a knee-joint hinge, a tibia mechanism, a naked joint hinge and a metatarsus mechanism, wherein the femur mechanism is hinged with the tibia mechanism by the knee-joint hinge; the drive motor is fixed on the femur mechanism, and an output shaft of the drive motor drives the tibia mechanism to rotate by a bevel gear transmission mechanism in the knee-joint hinge; the tibia mechanism is hinged with the metatarsus mechanism by the naked joint hinge; and the drive motor drives the metatarsus mechanism to rotate by the bevel gear transmission mechanism in the knee-joint hinge and a bevel gear transmission mechanism in the naked joint hinge. In the invention, the number of joints of a leg structure is increased under the condition of not increasing the degree of freedom, so that the leg movement of the robot is more flexible, and the leg mechanism has the advantage of better movement performance.

Technology is provided that can compute a center of gravity pathway for a robot in which the ZMP matches the target ZMP, even if the robot is caused to perform a crouching movement during a single leg ground phase. The robot of the present invention is a legged robot that moves the center of gravity in the vertical direction when one leg link is grounded by changing joint angles, and comprises means for generating the vertical pathway of the center of gravity, means for computing the horizontal pathway of the center of gravity, based upon the generated vertical pathway of the center of gravity, a tridiagonal equation which is a discretization of a ZMP equation, a target ZMP, and horizontal speeds of the center of gravity at the beginning and the completion of the vertical pathway, means for computing chronological data of target values of the joint angles, based upon the generated vertical pathway and the computed horizontal pathway of the center of gravity, and means for rotating the joints based upon the computed chronological data of the target values of the joint angles.

A legged robot subjected to a force is controlled by determining an instantaneous capture point where the robot will step with a swing leg to reach a balanced home position, the balanced home position being a state in which the Center of Mass remains substantially over the Center of Pressure and the robot is able to maintain its balance indefinitely. The capture point can be determined using a Linear Inverted Pendulum Plus Flywheel (LIPPF) model of the robot. The LIPPF model includes a flywheel with a mass and a rotational inertia, and a variable length leg link. A torque profile is applied to the flywheel and a set of capture points is determined based on this torque profile An experimentally determined error value can be added to a capture point that is determined based on the model to account for differences between an actual robot and the model.

The invention provides a wheel-legged robot leg structure which comprises wheels, a shank connecting rod, a buffer energy storage spring, a thigh connecting rod, a shank driving motor, a thigh drivingmotor and a first shank transmission connecting rod. The thigh driving motor and the shank driving motor can rotate independently and drive the thigh connecting rod and the first shank transmission connecting rod to rotate respectively; and when the wheel impacts the ground, an included angle between the shank connecting rod and the thigh connecting rod is reduced, and the buffer energy storage spring can reduce an impact load transmitted to the thigh driving motor and the shank driving motor. By the adoption of the buffer energy storage spring in a parallel connection mode, impact on the motors when a foot end makes contact with the ground is reduced, energy can be stored, a peak torque of the driving motor is effectively reduced, the number of the motors needed by the adopted leg configuration is small, a working space is large, and the structure can walk in a complex terrain environment; and the structure has advantages of light weight and a small moment of inertia.

The invention discloses an amphibious multi-legged robot with metamorphic mechanical legs. The robot comprises a body and at least two metamorphic mechanical legs parallelly arranged on both sides of the body. Each metamorphic mechanical leg comprises a base in transmission matching with a power component, and an elastic leg body connected with the base, and the initial form of each elastic leg body is straight; each metamorphic mechanical leg also comprises a metamorphic driving mechanism used for making the corresponding elastic leg body to be metamorphosed to form an arc-shaped form; the mechanical legs can automatically perform free switching between the straight form and the arc-shaped form, thus manual intervention required when the robot employing the mechanical leg conducts switching in the amphibious operation mode is avoided, the elastic leg bodies are straight under the natural initial state, the elastic leg bodies are driven by the metamorphic driving mechanism to be switched into the arc-shaped form when needed, rapid switching can be realized, and convenience and rapidness are realized; the legs do not need to be changed manually when the robot conducts switching in the amphibious mode, thereby being more convenient, furthermore, the metamorphic driving mechanisms can improve the structure strength of the elastic leg bodies, and thus the land obstacle ability is improved.

The invention discloses a leg structure of a legged robot. The leg structure comprises a supporting mechanism and a pull rod mechanism; the supporting mechanism comprises an upper leg support, a middle leg support and a lower leg support; the pull rod mechanism comprises an upper pull rod and a lower pull rod; the lower leg support is rotatably connected with the middle leg support; the middle leg support is rotatably connected with the upper leg support; one end of the lower pull rod is rotatably connected with the upper leg support; the other end of the lower pull rod is rotatably connected with the lower leg support; the lower pull rod, the upper leg support, the lower leg support and the middle leg support form a parallelogram structure; one end of the upper pull rod is rotatably connected with the middle leg support, while the other end of the upper pull rod is connected with a reduction gear in a hip joint motor of a legged robot body. The power of the whole mechanism of the leg structure is provided by a hip joint, and a knee joint and an ankle joint do not contain a power source; the whole leg structure is light so that an extremely high speed of movement can be obtained; a connecting rod mechanism is capable of simplifying control on the whole leg.

The invention discloses a single-leg structure for a wheel-leg type robot in leg-arm mixing operation. A cockroach is simulated by applying bionic mechanism principles, and front three joints, namely a buttock joint, a hip joint and a knee joint, are arranged; rear three operating joints are respectively a first ankle joint, a second ankle joint and a third ankle joint; steering engines of the three front joints are directly connected with femur parts and drive the femur parts to rotate; a driving motor of the first ankle joint also adopts a direct-driving manner; for the rear two joints, because of the limit to the total length of a single leg and a demand for preventing motion interference, the second ankle joint is driven by adopting worm wheels and a worm; the third ankle joint uses gears to transmit power; a rolling wheel is arranged between the knee joint and the first ankle joint, and the switchover between a wheel rolling mode and a walking mode can be realized. The single-leg structure disclosed by the invention has the advantages that a tail end can form various postures, and many postures can be adopted when the robot stands or walks; whether the robot performs single-leg-arm mixing operation or double-leg-arm coordination, many route planning methods can be selected, and the flexibility is high.

The invention relates to a design of a wheel leg type moving foot of a multi-joint chain link type robot based on modularization. In system composition, the moving foot and a robot body are in an open chain structure relationship and totally have five active degrees of freedom, and each active degree of freedom can be completed by the driving of a steering engine or direct current servo motor. In structural design, the moving foot is in a crank arm structure, and is provided with four rotational joints and one wheel foot. By the front crank arm and rear crank arm of the leg and the wheel type design of the moving foot, the multi-joint chain link type robot has the advantages of good geography adaptability of a leg-type robot and strong mobility of a wheel-type robot, and a landing end of the moving foot can be landed in any position in a three-dimensional space of a reachable area of the moving foot. By a bevel gear at the end part of a moving output shaft of the steering engine, radial load directly borne by a motor can be avoided, and the service life of the motor is prolonged. By the special curvature design of a bearing small wheel at the bottom of the moving foot, the bending angle of the leg when the robot moves laterally horizontally just makes the landing point of the small wheel tangential with the ground so as to realize efficient gait walking.