Abstract: A proximity and three-axis force sensor based sensor may include a first taxel including a first electrode formed within a top layer configured in a serpentine pattern, a second electrode formed within a bottom layer, and a dielectric layer positioned between the top layer and the bottom layer and a second taxel including a first electrode formed within the top layer and having a first surface area, a second electrode formed within the bottom layer and having a second surface area, and a ground electrode formed within the top layer above the first electrode of the second taxel having a surface area greater than the first surface area of the first electrode of the second taxel. The second surface area may be different than the first surface area. A first edge of the first electrode may be vertically aligned with a first edge of the second electrode.

Abstract: A control system and method for generalized admittance control (AC) is provided. The control system includes circuitry communicatively coupled to a robotic manipulator. The circuitry receives, from a sensor system of the robotic manipulator, contact force measurements associated with a physical interaction of the robotic manipulator with an object. The circuitry determines a surface portion of the robotic manipulator on which the physical interaction with the object occurs and samples a set of interaction points from the surface portion. The circuitry computes a generalized velocity for AC of the robotic manipulator by minimizing a cost function. The cost function includes a relationship between the contact force measurements and an approximation term which models application of an actual contact force of the physical interaction on the sampled set of interaction points. The circuitry generates a set of joint control instructions based on generalized velocity to control motion of the robotic manipulator.

Abstract: An electronic apparatus for a database construction and control of a robotic manipulator is provided. The electronic apparatus stores information associated with a task of a robotic manipulator. The electronic apparatus further receives a first plurality of signals from a first plurality of sensors associated with a wearable device. The electronic apparatus further applies a predefined model on a first set of signals of the first plurality of signals. The electronic apparatus further determines arrow direction information based on the application of the predefined model on the first set of signals. The electronic apparatus further aggregates the determined arrow direction information with information about the first set of signals to generate output information. The electronic apparatus further stores the generated output information for each of a first plurality of poses performed for the task using the wearable device.

Abstract: A control system and method for generalized admittance control (AC) is provided. The control system includes circuitry communicatively coupled to a robotic manipulator. The circuitry receives, from a sensor system of the robotic manipulator, contact force measurements associated with a physical interaction of the robotic manipulator with an object. The circuitry determines a surface portion of the robotic manipulator on which the physical interaction with the object occurs and samples a set of interaction points from the surface portion. The circuitry computes a generalized velocity for AC of the robotic manipulator by minimizing a cost function. The cost function includes a relationship between the contact force measurements and an approximation term which models application of an actual contact force of the physical interaction on the sampled set of interaction points. The circuitry generates a set of joint control instructions based on generalized velocity to control motion of the robotic manipulator.

Abstract: A robot for physical human-robot interaction may include a number of sensors, a processor, a controller, an actuator, and a joint. The sensors may receive a corresponding number of sensor measurements. The processor may reduce a dimensionality of the number of sensor measurements based on temporal sparsity associated with the number of sensors and spatial sparsity associated with the number of sensors and generate an updated sensor measurement dataset. The processor may receive an action associated with a human involved in pHRI with the robot. The processor may generate a response for the robot based on the updated sensor measurement dataset and the action. The controller may implement the response via an actuator within a joint of the robot.

Abstract: Embodiments, systems, and methods for navigational planning of a mobile programmable agent are provided. In some embodiments, the navigational planning may include identifying a plurality of dynamic objects in a physical environment having an origin and a destination. The physical environment is divided into a plurality of plane figures. The location of a centroid of each plane figure can then be calculated. A network of segments is formed from the origin to the destination intersecting the centroids. At least one channel is determined from the origin to the destination using a set of segments. A set of gates is identified along the at least one channel. The state of the gates is selectively determined based on movement of the dynamic objects. A pathway can then be identified within the channel for the mobile programmable agent to traverse from the origin to the destination based on the state of the gates.

Abstract: Controlling a robot may be performed by calculating a desired velocity based on an operator contact force and a robot contact force, calculating a transformation matrix based on an operator pose, a robot pose, a robot trajectory, the operator contact force, and the robot contact force, calculating a least square solution to Jf+{circumflex over (v)}f based on the desired velocity, calculating a scaling factor based on a current joint position of a joint of the robot, calculating a first trajectory based on the least square solution, the scaling factor, and the transformation matrix, calculating the robot trajectory, calculating a joint command based on the robot trajectory and the robot pose, and implementing the joint command.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing pedestrian avoidance strategies for a mobile robot that include receiving position data of a pedestrian and the mobile robot from systems of the mobile robot and estimating positions of the pedestrian and the mobile robot based on the position data. The system and method also include determining an expected intersection point of paths of the pedestrian and the mobile robot and an expected time for the pedestrian to reach and cross the expected intersection point of the paths. The system and method further include implementing a pedestrian avoidance strategy based on the positions of the pedestrian and the mobile robot and the expected point in time when the pedestrian will reach and cross the expected intersection point of the paths.

Abstract: Embodiments, systems, and methods for navigational planning of a mobile programmable agent are provided. In some embodiments, the navigational planning may include identifying a plurality of dynamic objects in a physical environment having an origin and a destination. The physical environment is divided into a plurality of plane figures. The location of a centroid of each plane figure can then be calculated. A network of segments is formed from the origin to the destination intersecting the centroids. At least one channel is determined from the origin to the destination using a set of segments. A set of gates is identified along the at least one channel. The state of the gates is selectively determined based on movement of the dynamic objects. A pathway can then be identified within the channel for the mobile programmable agent to traverse from the origin to the destination based on the state of the gates.

Abstract: According to one aspect, a control system for providing stable balance control may include an H? controller, a state-feedback circuit, a first feedback loop, and a second feedback loop. The control system may be implemented in a robot as a controller for the robot. The H? controller may receive an input signal and generate a control effort signal. The state-feedback circuit may receive the control effort signal as an input and generate an output signal. The feedback loop may include the H? controller and the state-feedback circuit and may transfer the output signal of the state-feedback circuit back to the input of the H? controller and input a tracking error input signal to the H? controller. The tracking error input signal may be the difference between the output signal of the state-feedback circuit and the input signal.

Abstract: A robot design system, and associated method, that is particularly well-suited for legged robots (e.g., monopods, bipeds, and quadrupeds). The system implements three stages or modules: (a) a motion optimization module; (b) a morphology optimization module; and (c) a link length optimization module. The motion optimization module outputs motion trajectories of the robot's center of mass (COM) and force effectors. The morphology optimization module uses as input the optimized motion trajectories and a library of modular robot components and outputs an optimized robot morphology, e.g., a parameterized mechanical design in which the number of links in each of the legs and other parameters are optimized. The link length optimization module takes this as input and outputs optimal link lengths for a particular task such that the design of a robot is more efficient. The system solves the problem of automatically designing legged robots for given locomotion tasks by numerical optimization.

Abstract: A prismatic actuator for imparting a hopping motion to a supported load such as a leg of robot. The apparatus includes a direct drive motor, such as a voice coil, operable to provide translational motion. The apparatus includes a spring element and a prismatic guide assembly. The guide assembly is configured to support the direct drive motor to constrain the translational motion to be along a drive axis and support the spring element to constrain compression and expansion of the spring element along a longitudinal axis parallel to the drive axis. The apparatus includes a controller that: (1) first controls the direct drive motor to compress the spring element during a first time period beginning when the apparatus initially contacts a surface; and (2) second controls the direct drive motor to expand the spring element when the apparatus has zero velocity while contacting the surface.

Abstract: A robot design system, and associated method, that is particularly well-suited for legged robots (e.g., monopods, bipeds, and quadrupeds). The system implements three stages or modules: (a) a motion optimization module; (b) a morphology optimization module; and (c) a link length optimization module. The motion optimization module outputs motion trajectories of the robot's center of mass (COM) and force effectors. The morphology optimization module uses as input the optimized motion trajectories and a library of modular robot components and outputs an optimized robot morphology, e.g., a parameterized mechanical design in which the number of links in each of the legs and other parameters are optimized. The link length optimization module takes this as input and outputs optimal link lengths for a particular task such that the design of a robot is more efficient. The system solves the problem of automatically designing legged robots for given locomotion tasks by numerical optimization.

Abstract: A prismatic actuator for imparting a hopping motion to a supported load such as a leg of robot. The apparatus includes a direct drive motor, such as a voice coil, operable to provide translational motion. The apparatus includes a spring element and a prismatic guide assembly. The guide assembly is configured to support the direct drive motor to constrain the translational motion to be along a drive axis and support the spring element to constrain compression and expansion of the spring element along a longitudinal axis parallel to the drive axis. The apparatus includes a controller that: (1) first controls the direct drive motor to compress the spring element during a first time period beginning when the apparatus initially contacts a surface; and (2) second controls the direct drive motor to expand the spring element when the apparatus has zero velocity while contacting the surface.

Abstract: A robot designed for reducing collision impacts during human interaction. The robot includes a robot controller including a joint control module. The robot includes a link including a rigid support element and a soft body segment coupled to the rigid support element, and the body segment includes a deformable outer sidewall enclosing an interior space. The robot includes a pressure sensor sensing pressure in the interior space of the link. A joint is coupled to the rigid support element to rotate or position the link. During operations, the robot controller operates the joint based on the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor. The robot controller modifies operation of the joint from a first operating state with a servo moving or positioning the joint to a second operating state with the servo operating to allow the joint to be moved or positioned in response to outside forces applied to the link.

Abstract: A robot designed for reducing collision impacts during human interaction. The robot includes a robot controller including a joint control module. The robot includes a link including a rigid support element and a soft body segment coupled to the rigid support element, and the body segment includes a deformable outer sidewall enclosing an interior space. The robot includes a pressure sensor sensing pressure in the interior space of the link. A joint is coupled to the rigid support element to rotate or position the link. During operations, the robot controller operates the joint based on the pressure sensed by the pressure sensor. The robot controller modifies operation of the joint from a first operating state with a servo moving or positioning the joint to a second operating state with the servo operating to allow the joint to be moved or positioned in response to outside forces applied to the link.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an approach for automatically determining task-specific robot model reductions. In one embodiment, a simplification application determines a smallest order statespace model whose stabilizing controller also stabilizes a full-order robot model. The simplification application may determine such a model via an iterative procedure in which the reduced order is initialized to the number of unstable poles of the open-loop full-order system and, while the closed loop full-order system with the balanced reduced order system's stabilizing controller is unstable, fractional balanced reduction is applied to generate a balanced reduced system. If one or more unstable closed-loop poles exist in the full-order system with the stabilizing controller of the newly-generated balanced reduced system, the reduced order is incremented by one, and fractional balanced reduction repeated, until no unstable closed-loop poles remain.

Abstract: A control method, and a robot controller implementing the method, is provided that adapts human motions to floating-base humanoid robots with time warping techniques. The method of modifying a set of reference motions modifies the timeline of a reference motion so as to speed up or slow down one or more of the motions or motion segments. Through the use of time warping, the velocity and acceleration profiles of the motion are changed to turn an infeasible motion into a feasible one. The optimal time warping is obtained through a generalized motion feasibility index that quantifies the feasibility of a motion considering the friction constraint as well as the center-of-pressure (CoP) constraint. Due to the use of the motion feasibility index, the proposed motion adaptation method taught herein can be applied to motions on arbitrary terrains or with any number of links in contact with the environment.

Abstract: A robot having the motion style of a character defined by animation data obtained from an animation movie or computer animation data files. The robot is generated using a robot development method that obtains animation data for a character walking or performing other movements. The character may be humanoid, and the method includes developing a bipedal robot with a lower portion having a kinematic structure matching the kinematic structure of the lower portion of the animation character as defined in the animation data. A control program is generated for the robot such as by using trajectory optimization. The control program may include an open-loop walking trajectory that mimics the character's walking motion provided in the animation data. The open-loop walking trajectory may be generated by modifying the motion of the character from the animation data such that the Zero Moment Point (ZMP) stays in the contact convex hull.

Abstract: A robot having the motion style of a character defined by animation data obtained from an animation movie or computer animation data files. The robot is generated using a robot development method that obtains animation data for a character walking or performing other movements. The character may be humanoid, and the method includes developing a bipedal robot with a lower portion having a kinematic structure matching the kinematic structure of the lower portion of the animation character as defined in the animation data. A control program is generated for the robot such as by using trajectory optimization. The control program may include an open-loop walking trajectory that mimics the character's walking motion provided in the animation data. The open-loop walking trajectory may be generated by modifying the motion of the character from the animation data such that the Zero Moment Point (ZMP) stays in the contact convex hull.