Cyclic Biped Locomotion on Dynamic Objects
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current humanoid robotics techniques focus on passive adaptation to dynamic environments, failing to enable robots to intentionally manipulate and create dynamic conditions for tasks like locomotion, limiting their capability to perform complex human-like movements.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method simulates trajectories for a robot in contact with a secondary object, determining an initial state for a cyclic gait that allows the robot to maintain balance and manipulate the object for locomotion, using a balance controller and collision model to optimize joint angles and velocities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If passive adaptation techniques are used to maintain robot balance in dynamic environments, then the robot can maintain stability under external disturbances, but the robot cannot intentionally manipulate or create dynamic conditions for locomotion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the control approach from static passive adaptation to dynamic active manipulation. The controller actively generates cyclic gaits that manipulate the secondary object's motion to achieve locomotion, rather than merely reacting to disturbances. This enables the robot to create and exploit dynamic conditions intentionally.
Solution Approach 2:
The secondary object serves as an intermediary between the robot and the environment. Instead of directly interacting with the ground for locomotion, the robot manipulates the secondary object which in turn provides the propulsive force. This mediator enables complex locomotion behaviors while simplifying the control architecture.
2Productivity
If the robot uses a secondary object for locomotion, then the robot achieves enhanced mobility and complex movements, but the robot must maintain balance on an unstable moving target
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs periodic cyclic gaits where the robot alternates between different contact phases with the secondary object. This periodic action creates a rhythm that naturally stabilizes the system, allowing the robot to maintain balance while achieving continuous locomotion through repeated manipulation cycles.
Solution Approach 2:
The control system continuously monitors the robot's state and the secondary object's motion, using this feedback to adjust the cyclic gait parameters in real-time. This closed-loop control maintains balance stability despite the inherent instability of the moving secondary object.
3Measurement precision
If the robot implements cyclic gait with simulated trajectories, then the robot achieves precise and repeatable locomotion cycles, but the computation and simulation requirements increase system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs trajectory simulation and optimization in advance, before actual execution. The cyclic gait parameters are pre-computed to achieve desired locomotion, reducing real-time computational requirements and enabling precise repeatable cycles during actual operation.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for optimizing and maintaining cyclic biped locomotion of a robot on an object. The approach includes simulating trajectories of the robot in contact with the object. During each trajectory, the robot maintains balance on the object, while using the object for locomotion. The approach further includes determining, based on the simulated trajectories, an initial state of a cyclic gait of the robot such that the simulated trajectory of the robot starting from the initial state substantially returns to the initial state at an end of one cycle of the cyclic gait. In addition, the approach includes sending joint angles and joint velocities of the initial state to a set of joint controllers of the robot to cause a leg of the robot to achieve the initial state so the robot moves through one or more cycles of the cyclic gait.