Dynamic Hydraulic Pressure Control for Legged Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legged robots with hydraulic systems face inefficiencies due to constant high hydraulic pressure, which is determined based on the highest expected pressure, leading to unnecessary energy consumption and weight, despite varying load and task requirements.
Innovation Solution
A controller adjusts hydraulic fluid pressure dynamically based on the current phase of a task, anticipated behavior, and environmental conditions, using a hydraulic system with a pump and valves to supply fluid at varying pressure levels, optimizing energy use and efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If constant high hydraulic pressure is used to ensure sufficient power for all task phases, then the robot can perform any task phase with adequate force, but energy consumption increases unnecessarily
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system transitions from static constant pressure to dynamic variable pressure, where the controller adjusts pressure levels in real-time based on the current task phase and load requirements, ensuring power availability matches actual demand
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the pressure parameter of hydraulic fluid dynamically, switching between high pressure for power-intensive phases and low pressure for lighter phases, thereby optimizing energy consumption while maintaining task performance capability
2Force
If constant high hydraulic pressure is maintained to meet peak load requirements, then sufficient force is available for all operations, but the weight of the hydraulic system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic system uses dynamic pressure adjustment rather than static high pressure, allowing the use of lighter hydraulic components that can handle variable pressure loads instead of requiring overweight components rated for constant peak pressure
3Use of energy by moving object
If hydraulic pressure is adjusted dynamically based on task phase, then energy consumption is reduced, but the complexity of the control system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller receives feedback about the current task phase and load conditions, then adjusts hydraulic pressure accordingly, creating a closed-loop system that optimizes energy consumption while managing complexity through intelligent control algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
An example robot includes movable members, a hydraulic system including at least (i) hydraulic actuators configured to operate the movable members, and (ii) a source of hydraulic fluid, and a controller. The controller may be configured to: determine a task to be performed by the robot, where the task includes a plurality of phases; cause hydraulic fluid having a first pressure level to flow from the source to the hydraulic actuators for the robot to perform a first phase of the plurality of phases of the task; based on a second phase of the task, determine a second pressure level for the hydraulic fluid; and adjust, based on the second pressure level, operation of the hydraulic system before the robot begins the second phase of the task.