Related papers: RoboWalk: Explicit Augmented Human-Robot Dynamics …
This work explores an innovative algorithm designed to enhance the mobility of underactuated bipedal robots across challenging terrains, especially when navigating through spaces with constrained opportunities for foot support, like steps…
Practical bipedal robot locomotion needs to be both energy efficient and robust to variability and uncertainty. In this paper, we build upon recent works in trajectory optimization for robot locomotion with two primary goals. First, we wish…
Rigid-bodied robots often lack compliance needed to adapt to unstructured environments, while fully soft robots, though highly adaptable, struggle with scalability and load capacity. In nature, musculoskeletal systems balance strength and…
Back-support exoskeletons are commonly used in the workplace to reduce low back pain risk for workers performing demanding activities. However, for the assistance of tasks differing from lifting, back-support exoskeletons potential has not…
Object manipulation has been extensively studied in the context of fixed base and mobile manipulators. However, the overactuated locomotion modality employed by snake robots allows for a unique blend of object manipulation through…
Robot feet are crucial for maintaining dynamic stability and propelling the body during walking, especially on uneven terrains. Traditionally, robot feet were mostly designed as flat and stiff pieces of metal, which meets its limitations…
We successfully evolved a neural network controller that produces dynamic walking in a simulated bipedal robot with compliant actuators, a difficult control problem. The evolutionary evaluation uses a detailed software simulation of a…
The importance of humanoid robots in today's world is undeniable, one of the most important features of humanoid robots is the ability to maneuver in environments such as stairs that other robots can not easily cross. A suitable algorithm…
This paper presents a novel approach for controlling humanoid robots to push heavy objects. The approach combines kinodynamics-based pose optimization and loco-manipulation model predictive control (MPC). The proposed pose optimization…
Trajectory optimization (TO) is one of the most powerful tools for generating feasible motions for humanoid robots. However, including uncertainties and stochasticity in the TO problem to generate robust motions can easily lead to an…
Assistive robotic devices, like soft lower-limb exoskeletons or exosuits, are widely spreading with the promise of helping people in everyday life. To make such systems adaptive to the variety of users wearing them, it is desirable to endow…
Despite impressive advancements of industrial collaborative robots, their potential remains largely untapped due to the difficulty in balancing human safety and comfort with fast production constraints. To help address this challenge, we…
Robot-assisted dressing has the potential to significantly improve the lives of individuals with mobility impairments. To ensure an effective and comfortable dressing experience, the robot must be able to handle challenging deformable…
The growing integration of mobile robots in shared workspaces requires efficient path planning and coordination between the agents, accounting for safety and productivity. In this work, we propose a digital model-based optimization…
Sliding tasks performed by aerial robots are valuable for inspection and simple maintenance tasks at height, such as non-destructive testing and painting. Although various end-effector designs have been used for such tasks, non-actuated…
Objective: Overhead tasks are a primary inducement to work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Aiming to reduce shoulder physical loads, passive shoulder exoskeletons are increasingly prevalent in the industry due to their lightweight,…
This paper presents and experimentally demonstrates a novel framework for variable assistance on lower body exoskeletons, based upon safety-critical control methods. Existing work has shown that providing some freedom of movement around a…
Dynamic locomotion in rough terrain requires accurate foot placement, collision avoidance, and planning of the underactuated dynamics of the system. Reliably optimizing for such motions and interactions in the presence of imperfect and…
Motion planning trajectories for a multi-limbed robot to climb up walls requires a unique combination of constraints on torque, contact force, and posture. This paper focuses on motion planning for one particular setup wherein a six-legged…
Bipedal humanoid robots must precisely coordinate balance, timing, and contact decisions when locomoting on constrained footholds such as stepping stones, beams, and planks -- even minor errors can lead to catastrophic failure. Classical…