Abstract: The control method for lower-limb assistive exoskeletons assists human movement by producing a desired dynamic response on the human leg. Wearing the exoskeleton replaces the leg's natural admittance with the equivalent admittance of the coupled system formed by the leg and the exoskeleton. The control goal is to make the leg obey an admittance model defined by target values of natural frequency, resonant peak magnitude and zero-frequency response. The control achieves these objectives objective via positive feedback of the leg's angular position and angular acceleration. The method achieves simultaneous performance and robust stability through a constrained optimization that maximizes the system's gain margins while ensuring the desired location of its dominant poles.

Abstract: The control method for lower-limb assistive exoskeletons assists human movement by producing a desired dynamic response on the human leg. Wearing the exoskeleton replaces the leg's natural admittance with the equivalent admittance of the coupled system formed by the leg and the exoskeleton. The control goal is to make the leg obey an admittance model defined by target values of natural frequency, resonant peak magnitude and zero-frequency response. The control achieves these objectives objective via positive feedback of the leg's angular position and angular acceleration. The method achieves simultaneous performance and robust stability through a constrained optimization that maximizes the system's gain margins while ensuring the desired location of its dominant poles.

Abstract: The control method for lower-limb assistive exoskeletons assists human movement by producing a desired dynamic response on the human leg. Wearing the exoskeleton replaces the leg's natural admittance with the equivalent admittance of the coupled system formed by the leg and the exoskeleton. The control goal is to make the leg obey an admittance model defined by target values of natural frequency, resonant peak magnitude and zero-frequency response. The control achieves these objectives objective via positive feedback of the leg's angular position and angular acceleration. The method achieves simultaneous performance and robust stability through a constrained optimization that maximizes the system's gain margins while ensuring the desired location of its dominant poles.

Abstract: A resistive exoskeleton control system has a controller generating a positive resistance by shaping a closed loop integral admittance of a coupled human exoskeleton system wherein a frequency response magnitude of the integral admittance is lower than that of a natural human joint for desired frequencies of interest and generating an assistance ratio of approximately zero for the desired frequencies of interest.

Abstract: An assistive exoskeleton control system has a controller generating a positive assistance by shaping a closed loop integral admittance of a coupled human exoskeleton system to a desired assistance ratio Ad by modifying a control transfer function using a cut-off frequency of a low pass filter.

Abstract: An apparatus for assisting the balance of a user is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a first control moment gyroscope (CMG) and a second CMG configured as a scissor pair. The first CMG includes a first flywheel and a second flywheel, a first motor that rotates the first and second flywheels, a first gimbal supporting the first and second flywheel, and a first gimbal servo to rotate the first gimbal. The second CMG includes a third flywheel and a forth flywheel, a second motor that rotates the third and fourth flywheels, a second gimbal supporting the third and fourth flywheels, and a second gimbal servo to rotate the second gimbal. The apparatus additionally includes a gyroscope controller controlling the first gimbal servo and the second gimbal servo.

Abstract: A resistive exoskeleton control system has a controller generating a positive resistance by shaping a closed loop integral admittance of a coupled human exoskeleton system wherein a frequency response magnitude of the integral admittance is lower than that of a natural human joint for desired frequencies of interest and generating an assistance ratio of approximately zero for the desired frequencies of interest.

Abstract: A controller and control method assists a driver with backing up of a vehicle with an attached trailer. The vehicle has a front axle with steerable front wheels controlled by the driver and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels. The trailer has a front axle with non-steerable front wheels and a rear axle with steerable rear wheels controlled by a trailer steering controller. The controller receives an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle and a measured hitch angle. The controller determines a trailer steering angle based on the operator-controller vehicle steering angle and the measured hitch angle. The controller continuously controls the trailer (e.g., via a steering angle of the rear wheels) to maintain a trajectory with substantially no lateral slippage.

Abstract: A momentum-based balance controller controls a humanoid robot to maintain balance. The balance controller derives desired rates of change of linear and angular momentum from desired motion of the robot. The balance controller then determines desired center of pressure (CoP) and desired ground reaction force (GRF) to achieve the desired rates of change of linear and angular momentum. The balance controller determines admissible CoP, GRF, and rates of change of linear and angular momentum that are optimally close to the desired value while still allowing the robot to maintain balance. The balance controller controls the robot to maintain balance based on a human motion model such that the robot's motions are human-like. Beneficially, the robot can maintain balance even when subjected to external perturbations, or when it encounters non-level and/or non-stationary ground.

Abstract: An assistive exoskeleton control system has a controller generating a positive assistance by shaping a closed loop integral admittance of a coupled human exoskeleton system to a desired assistance ratio Ad by modifying a control transfer function using a cut-off frequency of a low pass filter.

Abstract: The control method for lower-limb assistive exoskeletons assists human movement by producing a desired dynamic response on the human leg. Wearing the exoskeleton replaces the leg's natural admittance with the equivalent admittance of the coupled system formed by the leg and the exoskeleton. The control goal is to make the leg obey an admittance model defined by target values of natural frequency, resonant peak magnitude and zero-frequency response. The control achieves these objectives objective via positive feedback of the leg's angular position and angular acceleration. The method achieves simultaneous performance and robust stability through a constrained optimization that maximizes the system's gain margins while ensuring the desired location of its dominant poles.

Abstract: A robot controller controls a robot during a fall to reduce the damage to the robot upon impact. The robot controller causes the robot to achieve a tripod-like posture having three contact points (e.g., two hands and one foot) so that the robot motion in arrested with its center of mass (CoM) high above the ground. This prevents a large impact caused by the transfer of potential energy to kinetic energy during the fall. The optimal locations of the three contacts are learned through a machine learning algorithm.

Abstract: A jackknife warning condition controller and control method notifies a driver of a potential jackknife situation while backing up a vehicle with an attached trailer. The vehicle has a front axle with steerable front wheels controlled by the driver and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels. The trailer has a front axle with non-steerable front wheels and a rear axle with steerable rear wheels controlled by a trailer steering controller. The jackknife controller receives an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle and a measured hitch angle. The jackknife warning condition controller determines a directional jackknife warning condition and compares the measured hitch angle with the determined directional jackknife warning condition. If the measured hitch angle satisfies the directional jackknife warning condition then a notification is sent to the driver.

Abstract: A method for stability control may include receiving vehicle characteristics of a vehicle of a vehicle-trailer system, trailer characteristics of a trailer of the vehicle-trailer system, or steering inputs for the vehicle. The method may include determining a prediction based on yaw rate deviation for the vehicle determined from the vehicle characteristics, trailer characteristics, or steering inputs or hitch rate oscillation of a hitch coupling the vehicle to the trailer determined from the vehicle characteristics, trailer characteristics, or steering inputs, where the prediction may be indicative of a likelihood of instability for the vehicle-trailer system. The method may include generating control actions based on the prediction and hitch rate feedback from the hitch of the vehicle-trailer system or lateral hitch force feedback.

Abstract: An apparatus for assisting the balance of a user is disclosed herein. The apparatus includes a first control moment gyroscope (CMG) and a second CMG configured as a scissor pair. The first CMG includes a first flywheel and a second flywheel, a first motor that rotates the first and second flywheels, a first gimbal supporting the first and second flywheel, and a first gimbal servo to rotate the first gimbal. The second CMG includes a third flywheel and a forth flywheel, a second motor that rotates the third and fourth flywheels, a second gimbal supporting the third and fourth flywheels, and a second gimbal servo to rotate the second gimbal. The apparatus additionally includes a gyroscope controller controlling the first gimbal servo and the second gimbal servo.

Abstract: A method for stability control may include receiving vehicle characteristics of a vehicle of a vehicle-trailer system, trailer characteristics of a trailer of the vehicle-trailer system, or steering inputs for the vehicle. The method may include determining a prediction based on yaw rate deviation for the vehicle determined from the vehicle characteristics, trailer characteristics, or steering inputs or hitch rate oscillation of a hitch coupling the vehicle to the trailer determined from the vehicle characteristics, trailer characteristics, or steering inputs, where the prediction may be indicative of a likelihood of instability for the vehicle-trailer system. The method may include generating control actions based on the prediction and hitch rate feedback from the hitch of the vehicle-trailer system or lateral hitch force feedback.

Abstract: A humanoid robot fall controller controls motion of a robot to minimize damage when it determines that a fall is unavoidable. The robot controller detects a state of the robot during the fall and determines a desired rotational velocity that will allow the robot to re-orient itself during the fall to land on a predetermined target body segment (e.g., a backpack). The predetermined target body segment can be specially designed to absorb the impact of the fall and protect important components of the robot.

Abstract: A robot controller controls a robot to maintain balance in response to an external disturbance (e.g., a push) on level or non-level ground. The robot controller determines a predicted stepping location for the robot such that the robot will be able to maintain a balanced upright position if it steps to that location. As long as the stepping location predicted stepping location remains within a predefined region (e.g., within the area under the robot's feet), the robot will maintain balance in response to the push via postural changes without taking a step. If the predicted stepping location moves outside the predefined region, the robot will take a step to the predicted location in order to maintain its balance.

Abstract: A robot controller controls a robot during a fall to reduce the damage to the robot upon impact. The robot controller causes the robot to achieve a tripod-like posture having three contact points (e.g., two hands and one foot) so that the robot motion in arrested with its center of mass (CoM) high above the ground. This prevents a large impact caused by the transfer of potential energy to kinetic energy during the fall. The optimal locations of the three contacts are learned through a machine learning algorithm.

Abstract: A jackknife warning condition controller and control method notifies a driver of a potential jackknife situation while backing up a vehicle with an attached trailer. The vehicle has a front axle with steerable front wheels controlled by the driver and a rear axle with non-steerable rear wheels. The trailer has a front axle with non-steerable front wheels and a rear axle with steerable rear wheels controlled by a trailer steering controller. The jackknife controller receives an operator-controlled vehicle steering angle and a measured hitch angle. The jackknife warning condition controller determines a directional jackknife warning condition and compares the measured hitch angle with the determined directional jackknife warning condition. If the measured hitch angle satisfies the directional jackknife warning condition then a notification is sent to the driver.