Abstract: A robot is provided with a motion control unit that avoids collision between segments of the robot or between segments of the robot and other objects. The motion control unit of the robot comprises a distance computing module, a whole body control module, a collision avoidance module, and a blending control unit. The distance computing module calculates two closest points of different segments of the robot connected to each other via at least one joint or a segment of the robot and another object. The collision avoidance module is provided with the information about the two closest points. The blending control unit combines the weighted output control signals of the whole body control module and the collision avoidance control module. The weight of the whole body control output signal is higher when the risk of collision is lower. The weight of the collision avoidance control output signal is higher when the risk of collision is higher.

Abstract: A method for controlling behavior of an intelligent mechanical system having more than one degree of freedom, the method comprising: (a) providing a target to a selector unit that requires operation of actuators of the mechanical system; (b) generating by a selector unit more than one behavior commands adapted to reach the target; (c) simulating movements of the mechanical system for each behavior command by a computing unit of the mechanical system; (d) assessing fitness values for each simulated movements based on at least one objective; and (e) sending the behavior commands with a highest fitness value to the actuators of the mechanical system.

Abstract: The invention refers to a method for controlling the effector trajectory from a current state to a target state. First invariant control parameters of the trajectory are determined. The effector trajectory is then represented in a task description being void of the invariant control parameters. The effector trajectory is controlled on the basis of this task description. The invention further refers to a method for controlling the effector trajectory wherein the effector trajectory is calculated by mapping increments from a control parameter space on a configuration space. The dimensional difference between the configuration space and the control parameter space leaves redundant degrees of freedom of a Null space. The degrees of freedom of the Null space are increased using a task description being void of invariant control parameters.