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4 results (View BibTeX file of all listed publications)

2016

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On designing an active tail for legged robots: simplifying control via decoupling of control objectives

Heim, S. W., Ajallooeian, M., Eckert, P., Vespignani, M., Ijspeert, A. J.

Industrial Robot: An International Journal, 43, pages: 338-346, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2016 (article)

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Preprint [BibTex]

2016

dlg Heim, S. W., Ajallooeian, M., Eckert, P., Vespignani, M., Ijspeert, A. J. On designing an active tail for legged robots: simplifying control via decoupling of control objectives Industrial Robot: An International Journal, 43, pages: 338-346, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 2016 (article)

Preprint [BibTex]

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ATRIAS: Design and validation of a tether-free 3D-capable spring-mass bipedal robot

Hubicki, C., Grimes, J., Jones, M., Renjewski, D., Spröwitz, A., Abate, A., Hurst, J.

{The International Journal of Robotics Research}, 35(12):1497-1521, Sage Publications, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 2016 (article)

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DOI Project Page [BibTex]

dlg Hubicki, C., Grimes, J., Jones, M., Renjewski, D., Spröwitz, A., Abate, A., Hurst, J. ATRIAS: Design and validation of a tether-free 3D-capable spring-mass bipedal robot {The International Journal of Robotics Research}, 35(12):1497-1521, Sage Publications, Inc., Cambridge, MA, 2016 (article)

DOI Project Page [BibTex]

2010

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Roombots: Reconfigurable Robots for Adaptive Furniture

Spröwitz, A., Pouya, S., Bonardi, S., van den Kieboom, J., Möckel, R., Billard, A., Dillenbourg, P., Ijspeert, A.

Computational Intelligence Magazine, IEEE, 5(3):20-32, 2010 (article)

Abstract
Imagine a world in which our furniture moves around like legged robots, interacts with us, and changes shape and function during the day according to our needs. This is the long term vision we have in the Roombots project. To work towards this dream, we are developing modular robotic modules that have rotational degrees of freedom for locomotion as well as active connection mechanisms for runtime reconfiguration. A piece of furniture, e.g. a stool, will thus be composed of several modules that activate their rotational joints together to implement locomotor gaits, and will be able to change shape, e.g. transforming into a chair, by sequences of attachments and detachments of modules. In this article, we firstly present the project and the hardware we are currently developing. We explore how reconfiguration from a configuration A to a configuration B can be controlled in a distributed fashion. This is done using metamodules-two Roombots modules connected serially-that use broadcast signals and connections to a structured ground to collectively build desired structures without the need of a centralized planner. We then present how locomotion controllers can be implemented in a distributed system of coupled oscillators-one per degree of freedom-similarly to the concept of central pattern generators (CPGs) found in the spinal cord of vertebrate animals. The CPGs are based on coupled phase oscillators to ensure synchronized behavior and have different output filters to allow switching between oscillations and rotations. A stochastic optimization algorithm is used to explore optimal CPG configurations for different simulated Roombots structures.

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DOI [BibTex]

2010

dlg Spröwitz, A., Pouya, S., Bonardi, S., van den Kieboom, J., Möckel, R., Billard, A., Dillenbourg, P., Ijspeert, A. Roombots: Reconfigurable Robots for Adaptive Furniture Computational Intelligence Magazine, IEEE, 5(3):20-32, 2010 (article)

DOI [BibTex]

2008

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Learning to Move in Modular Robots using Central Pattern Generators and Online Optimization

Spröwitz, A., Moeckel, R., Maye, J., Ijspeert, A. J.

The International Journal of Robotics Research, 27(3-4):423-443, 2008 (article)

Abstract
This article addresses the problem of how modular robotics systems, i.e. systems composed of multiple modules that can be configured into different robotic structures, can learn to locomote. In particular, we tackle the problems of online learning, that is, learning while moving, and the problem of dealing with unknown arbitrary robotic structures. We propose a framework for learning locomotion controllers based on two components: a central pattern generator (CPG) and a gradient-free optimization algorithm referred to as Powell's method. The CPG is implemented as a system of coupled nonlinear oscillators in our YaMoR modular robotic system, with one oscillator per module. The nonlinear oscillators are coupled together across modules using Bluetooth communication to obtain specific gaits, i.e. synchronized patterns of oscillations among modules. Online learning involves running the Powell optimization algorithm in parallel with the CPG model, with the speed of locomotion being the criterion to be optimized. Interesting aspects of the optimization include the fact that it is carried out online, the robots do not require stopping or resetting and it is fast. We present results showing the interesting properties of this framework for a modular robotic system. In particular, our CPG model can readily be implemented in a distributed system, it is computationally cheap, it exhibits limit cycle behavior (temporary perturbations are rapidly forgotten), it produces smooth trajectories even when control parameters are abruptly changed and it is robust against imperfect communication among modules. We also present results of learning to move with three different robot structures. Interesting locomotion modes are obtained after running the optimization for less than 60 minutes.

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link (url) DOI [BibTex]

2008

dlg Spröwitz, A., Moeckel, R., Maye, J., Ijspeert, A. J. Learning to Move in Modular Robots using Central Pattern Generators and Online Optimization The International Journal of Robotics Research, 27(3-4):423-443, 2008 (article)

link (url) DOI [BibTex]