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15 pages, 31986 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stability Control of Quadruped Robot Based on Active State Adjustment

by Sai Gu, Fei Meng, Botao Liu, Zhihao Zhang, Nengxiang Sun and Maosen Wang

Biomimetics 2023, 8(1), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010112 - 09 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2316

The quadruped robot has a strong motion performance and broad application prospects in practical applications. However, during the movement of the quadruped robot, it is easy to be affected by external disturbance and environmental changes, which makes it unable to achieve the ideal [...] Read more.

The quadruped robot has a strong motion performance and broad application prospects in practical applications. However, during the movement of the quadruped robot, it is easy to be affected by external disturbance and environmental changes, which makes it unable to achieve the ideal effect movement. Therefore, it is very important for the quadruped robot to adjust actively according to its own state detection. This paper proposes an active state adjustment control method based on its own state, which can realize disturbance recovery and active environment adaptation. Firstly, the controller is designed according to the physical model of the quadruped robot, and the foot forces are optimized using the quadratic program (QP) method. Then, the disturbance compensation method based on dynamic analysis is studied and combined with the controller itself. At the same time, according to the law of biological movement, the movement process of the quadruped robot is actively adjusted according to the different movement environment, so that it can adapt to various complex environments. Finally, it is verified in a simulation environment and quadruped robot prototype. The results show that the quadruped robot has a strong active disturbance recovery ability and active environment adaptability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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17 pages, 2199 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Central Pattern Generator with Defined Pulse Signals for Compliant-Resistant Control of Biped Robots

by Zihan Xu, Qin Fang, Chengju Liu and Qijun Chen

Biomimetics 2023, 8(1), 100; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010100 - 02 Mar 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2220

Abstract

For biped robots, the ability to maintain balance under external forces is an essential requirement. Inspired by human beings’ behaviors to resist external forces, a compliant-resistant balance-control method is proposed to keep the biped robot balance subjected to an external force. A model-free [...] Read more.

For biped robots, the ability to maintain balance under external forces is an essential requirement. Inspired by human beings’ behaviors to resist external forces, a compliant-resistant balance-control method is proposed to keep the biped robot balance subjected to an external force. A model-free trajectory generator is designed based on the central pattern generator (CPG) to generate compliant-resistant human-like behavior. The CPG pattern generator generates the desired pulse signal utilizing Matsuoka’s CPG. The signal modulator applies the defined signal to the robot’s center of mass (CoM) to generate the workspace trajectory when standing on double feet. Moreover, when standing on single foot, the output signal of the CPG will directly act on the hip joint of the robot to generate the joint space trajectory. Furthermore, the motion engine calculates the workspace trajectory into joint sequence values. The proposed control strategy can generate defined pulse signals to realize compliant-resistant balance control for biped robots. The control strategy proposed in this paper is verified in the NAO simulation environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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17 pages, 3764 KiB

Open AccessArticle

FC-EODR: Immersive Humanoid Dual-Arm Dexterous Explosive Ordnance Disposal Robot

by Zhihong Jiang, Yifan Ma, Xiaolei Cao, Minghui Shen, Chunlong Yin, Hongyang Liu, Junhan Cui, Zeyuan Sun, Xiao Huang and Hui Li

Biomimetics 2023, 8(1), 67; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010067 - 06 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2591

Abstract

In this study, we proposes a humanoid dual-arm explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) robot design. First, a seven-degree-of-freedom high-performance collaborative and flexible manipulator is developed, aiming at the transfer and dexterous operation of dangerous objects in EOD tasks. Furthermore, an immersive operated humanoid dual-arm [...] Read more.

In this study, we proposes a humanoid dual-arm explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) robot design. First, a seven-degree-of-freedom high-performance collaborative and flexible manipulator is developed, aiming at the transfer and dexterous operation of dangerous objects in EOD tasks. Furthermore, an immersive operated humanoid dual-arm dexterous explosive disposal robot (FC-EODR) is designed, which has a high passability to complex terrains such as low walls, slope roads, and stairs. It can remotely detect, manipulate, and remove explosives in dangerous environments through immersive velocity teleoperation. In addition, an autonomous tool-changing system is constructed, which enables the robot to flexibly switch between different tasks. The effectiveness of the FC-EODR is finally verified through a series of experiments, including the platform performance test, manipulator load test, teleoperated wire trimming, and screw-screwing experiments. This letter provides the technical foundation for robots to replace humans in EOD tasks and emergency situations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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13 pages, 4003 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Controlling a One-Legged Robot to Clear Obstacles by Combining the SLIP Model with Air Trajectory Planning

by Senwei Huang and Xiuli Zhang

Biomimetics 2023, 8(1), 66; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010066 - 05 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1941

Abstract

Legged animals can adapt to complex terrains because they can step or jump over obstacles. Their application of foot force is determined according to the estimation of the height of an obstacle; then, the trajectory of the legs is controlled to clear the [...] Read more.

Legged animals can adapt to complex terrains because they can step or jump over obstacles. Their application of foot force is determined according to the estimation of the height of an obstacle; then, the trajectory of the legs is controlled to clear the obstacle. In this paper, we designed a three-DoF one-legged robot. A spring-loaded inverted pendulum model was employed to control the jumping. Herein, the jumping height was mapped to the foot force by mimicking the jumping control mechanisms of animals. The foot trajectory in the air was planned using the Bézier curve. Finally, the experiments of the one-legged robot jumping over multiple obstacles of different heights were implemented in the PyBullet simulation environment. The simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method proposed in this paper. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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16 pages, 5779 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Research on the Jumping Control Methods of a Quadruped Robot That Imitates Animals

by Kang Wang, Haoyu Zhao, Fei Meng and Xiuli Zhang

Biomimetics 2023, 8(1), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010036 - 15 Jan 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2197

Abstract

At present, most quadruped robots can move quickly and steadily on both flat and undulating ground; however, natural environments are complex and changeable, so it is important for a quadruped robot to be able to jump over obstacles immediately. Inspired by the jumping [...] Read more.

At present, most quadruped robots can move quickly and steadily on both flat and undulating ground; however, natural environments are complex and changeable, so it is important for a quadruped robot to be able to jump over obstacles immediately. Inspired by the jumping movement of quadruped animals, we present aerial body posture adjustment laws and generate animal-like jumping trajectories for a quadruped robot. Then, the bionic reference trajectories are optimized to build a trajectory library of a variety of jumping motions based on the kinematic and dynamic constraints of the quadruped robot. The model predictive control (MPC) method is employed by the quadruped robot to track the optimized trajectory to achieve jumping behavior. The simulations show that the quadruped robot can jump over an obstacle of 40 cm in height. The effectiveness of the animal-like jump control method is verified. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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14 pages, 7796 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hybrid Momentum Compensation Control by Using Arms for Bipedal Dynamic Walking

by Zhifa Gao, Xuechao Chen, Zhangguo Yu, Lianqiang Han, Jintao Zhang and Gao Huang

Biomimetics 2023, 8(1), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010031 - 12 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1679

Abstract

Biped robots swing their legs alternately to achieve highly dynamic walking, which is the basic ability required for them to perform tasks. However, swinging of the swinging leg in the air will disturb the interaction between the supporting leg and the ground and [...] Read more.

Biped robots swing their legs alternately to achieve highly dynamic walking, which is the basic ability required for them to perform tasks. However, swinging of the swinging leg in the air will disturb the interaction between the supporting leg and the ground and affect the upper body’s balance during dynamic walking. To allow the robot to use its own intrinsic motion characteristics to maintain stable movement like a human when its lower limbs are affected by unknown disturbances during dynamic walking, the ability to use its arms to resist disturbances is essential. This article presents a hybrid momentum compensation control method for torque-controlled biped robots to adapt to unknown disturbances during dynamic walking. First, a hybrid angular momentum and linear momentum regulator is designed to compensate for the disturbance caused by the swinging leg. Second, based on real-time dynamic state changes of the legs, a mixed-momentum quadratic programming controller is designed to realize stable dynamic walking. The proposed method allows the force-controlled robot to maintain its balance while walking down an unknown platform, and it maintains good straightness in the forward direction of dynamic motion. The proposed method’s effectiveness is verified experimentally on the BHR-B2 force-controlled biped robot platform. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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13 pages, 8956 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Day/Night Leader-Following Method Based on Adaptive Federated Filter for Quadruped Robots

by Jialin Zhang, Jiamin Guo, Hui Chai, Qin Zhang, Yibin Li, Zhiying Wang and Qifan Zhang

Biomimetics 2023, 8(1), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010020 - 04 Jan 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1937

Abstract

The quadruped robots have superior adaptability to complex terrains, compared with tracked and wheeled robots. Therefore, leader-following can help quadruped robots accomplish long-distance transportation tasks. However, long-term following has to face the change of day and night as well as the presence of [...] Read more.

The quadruped robots have superior adaptability to complex terrains, compared with tracked and wheeled robots. Therefore, leader-following can help quadruped robots accomplish long-distance transportation tasks. However, long-term following has to face the change of day and night as well as the presence of interference. To solve this problem, we present a day/night leader-following method for quadruped robots toward robustness and fault-tolerant person following in complex environments. In this approach, we construct an Adaptive Federated Filter algorithm framework, which fuses the visual leader-following method and the LiDAR detection algorithm based on reflective intensity. Moreover, the framework uses the Kalman filter and adaptively adjusts the information sharing factor according to the light condition. In particular, the framework uses fault detection and multisensors information to stably achieve day/night leader-following. The approach is experimentally verified on the quadruped robot SDU-150 (Shandong University, Shandong, China). Extensive experiments reveal that robots can identify leaders stably and effectively indoors and outdoors with illumination variations and unknown interference day and night. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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22 pages, 5421 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Balanced Standing on One Foot of Biped Robot Based on Three-Particle Model Predictive Control

by Yong Yang, Jiyuan Shi, Songrui Huang, Yuhong Ge, Wenhan Cai, Qingkai Li, Xueying Chen, Xiu Li and Mingguo Zhao

Biomimetics 2022, 7(4), 244; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics7040244 - 16 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1826

Abstract

Balancing is a fundamental task in the motion control of bipedal robots. Compared to two-foot balancing, one-foot balancing introduces new challenges, such as a smaller supporting polygon and control difficulty coming from the kinematic coupling between the center of mass (CoM) and the [...] Read more.

Balancing is a fundamental task in the motion control of bipedal robots. Compared to two-foot balancing, one-foot balancing introduces new challenges, such as a smaller supporting polygon and control difficulty coming from the kinematic coupling between the center of mass (CoM) and the swinging leg. Although nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) may solve this problem, it is not feasible to implement it on the actual robot because of its large amount of calculation. This paper proposes the three-particle model predictive control (TP-MPC) approach. It combines with the hierarchical whole-body control (WBC) to solve the one-leg balancing problem in real time. The bipedal robot’s torso and two legs are modeled as three separate particles without inertia. The TP-MPC generates feasible swing leg trajectories, followed by the WBC to adjust the robot’s center of mass. Since the three-particle model is linear, the TP-MPC requires less computational cost, which implies real-time execution on an actual robot. The proposed method is verified in simulation. Simulation results show that our method can resist much larger external disturbance than the WBC-only control scheme. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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14 pages, 2639 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Design of a Felid-like Humanoid Foot for Stability Enhancement

by Zhaoyang Cai, Xuechao Chen, Qingqing Li, Huaxin Liu and Zhangguo Yu

Biomimetics 2022, 7(4), 235; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics7040235 - 12 Dec 2022

Viewed by 1811

Abstract

The foot is an important part of humanoid robot locomotion that can help with shock absorption while making contact with the ground. The mechanism of the foot directly affects walking stability. A novel foot mechanism inspired by the toes of felids is proposed. [...] Read more.

The foot is an important part of humanoid robot locomotion that can help with shock absorption while making contact with the ground. The mechanism of the foot directly affects walking stability. A novel foot mechanism inspired by the toes of felids is proposed. The foot has four bionic modules with soft pads and sharp claws installed at the four corners of a flat foot. This foot can reduce the impact experienced during foot landing and increase the time that the foot is in contact with the ground, which can improve the adaptability of the robot to different ground surface conditions with different levels of stiffness. The main structure of the bionic module is a four-bar linkage consisting of a slide way and a spring. Furthermore, the length of the four-bar linkage and the posture of the claw during insertion into soft ground are optimized to improve the stability and buffering performance. The validity of the proposed foot mechanism has been proved in simulations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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13 pages, 1631 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Limb Kinetics of Goat Walking on the Slope with Different Angles

by Weijun Tian, Jinhua Zhang, Kuiyue Zhou, Zhirui Wang, Ruina Dang, Lei Jiang, Ju Wang and Qian Cong

Biomimetics 2022, 7(4), 220; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics7040220 - 30 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1836

Abstract

The study aimed to assess the gait adjustment techniques of limbs on different slopes and investigate the relationship between forelimb and hindlimb kinetics and the center of mass (COM) during the uphill movement of a specific Boer goat using a pressure-sensitive walkway (PSW). [...] Read more.

The study aimed to assess the gait adjustment techniques of limbs on different slopes and investigate the relationship between forelimb and hindlimb kinetics and the center of mass (COM) during the uphill movement of a specific Boer goat using a pressure-sensitive walkway (PSW). During the uphill and downhill movements at a comfortable walking speed, we measured the ground reaction force (GRF) of the forelimbs and hindlimbs on the slope, the change in the included angle of the propulsive force direction of the forelimbs and hindlimbs, and the impulse relationship between GRF and propulsive force. According to the study, since the forelimbs of the goat were nearer the COM, they were primarily adjusted during the movement on the slope. By lowering the initial included angle of the propulsive force and the angle variation range, the forelimbs and hindlimbs could walk steadily. The forelimbs and hindlimbs exhibited completely different adjustment strategies during uphill and downhill movements. In particular, the forelimbs performed braking and the hindlimbs performed driving. In addition, we discovered that the goat altered its adjustment strategy when climbing the steep slope. All findings of this study indicate the need to understand the gait adjustment mode of the Boer goat during movement on the slope to thoroughly comprehend the driving strategy of quadrupeds with the ability to walk on specialized terrains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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18 pages, 11386 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Efficient Motion Planning Method with a Lazy Demonstration Graph for Repetitive Pick-and-Place

by Guoyu Zuo, Mi Li, Jianjun Yu, Chun Wu and Gao Huang

Biomimetics 2022, 7(4), 210; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics7040210 - 21 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1496

Abstract

Robotic systems frequently need to plan consecutive similar manipulation in some scenarios (e.g., pick-and-place tasks), leading to similar motion plans. Moreover, the workspace of a robot changes with the difference in operation actions, which affects subsequent tasks. Therefore, it is significant to reuse [...] Read more.

Robotic systems frequently need to plan consecutive similar manipulation in some scenarios (e.g., pick-and-place tasks), leading to similar motion plans. Moreover, the workspace of a robot changes with the difference in operation actions, which affects subsequent tasks. Therefore, it is significant to reuse information from previous solutions for new motion planning instances to adapt to workplace changes. This paper proposes the Lazy Demonstration Graph (LDG) planner, a novel motion planner that exploits successful and high-quality planning cases as prior knowledge. In addition, a Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) is established by learning the distribution of samples in the planning cases. Through the trained GMM, more samples are placed in a promising location related to the planning tasks for achieving the purpose of adaptive sampling. This adaptive sampling strategy is combined with the Lazy Probabilistic Roadmap (LazyPRM) algorithm; in the subsequent planning tasks, this paper uses the multi-query property of a road map to solve motion planning problems without planning from scratch. The lazy collision detection of the LazyPRM algorithm helps overcome changes in the workplace by searching candidate paths. Our method also improves the quality and success rate of the path planning of LazyPRM. Compared with other state-of-the-art motion planning algorithms, our method achieved better performance in the planning time and path quality. In the repetitive motion planning experiment of the manipulator for pick-and-place tasks, we designed two different experimental scenarios in the simulation environment. The physical experiments are also carried out in AUBO−i5 robot arm. Accordingly, the experimental results verified our method’s validity and robustness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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16 pages, 3721 KiB

Open AccessEssay

Modeling and Analysis of a Reconfigurable Rover for Improved Traversing over Soft Sloped Terrains

by Shipeng Lyu, Wenyao Zhang, Chen Yao, Zheng Zhu and Zhenzhong Jia

Biomimetics 2023, 8(1), 131; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics8010131 - 22 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2002

Abstract

Adjusting the roll angle of a rover’s body is a commonly used strategy to improve its traversability over sloped terrains. However, its range of adjustment is often limited, due to constraints imposed by the rover design and geometry factors such as suspension, chassis, [...] Read more.

Adjusting the roll angle of a rover’s body is a commonly used strategy to improve its traversability over sloped terrains. However, its range of adjustment is often limited, due to constraints imposed by the rover design and geometry factors such as suspension, chassis, size, and suspension travel. In order to improve the rover’s traversability under these constraints, this paper proposes a reconfigurable rover design with a two-level (sliding and rolling) mechanism to adjust the body’s roll angle. Specifically, the rolling mechanism is a bionic structure, akin to the human ankle joint which can change the contact pose between the wheel and the terrain. This novel adjustment mechanism can modulate the wheel–terrain contact pose, center-of-mass projection over the supporting polygon, wheel load, and the rover driving mode. Combining the wheel–load model and terramechanics-based wheel–terrain interaction model, we develop an integrated model to describe the system dynamics, especially the relationship between rover pose and wheel slippage parameters. Using this model, we develop an associated attitude control strategy to calculate the desired rover pose using particle swarm algorithm while considering the slip rate and angle constraints. We then adjust the sliding and rolling servo angles accordingly for slope traversing operations. To evaluate the proposed design and control strategies, we conduct extensive simulation and experimental studies. The results indicate that our proposed rover design and associated control strategy can double the maximum slope angles that the rover can negotiate, resulting in significantly improved traversability over soft sloped terrains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Design and Control of Legged Robot)

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