Abstract: A basic required manipulated variable Mfbdmd_a is determined on the basis of a state amount error, which is the difference between a state amount of a motion of an actual vehicle 1 and a reference state amount, then a driving/braking force manipulation control input Fxfbdmd_n of a wheel is determined on the basis of the above basic required manipulated variable. At this time, a change in a driving/braking force operation control input Fxdmd_n of a front wheel and a rear wheel, respectively, of a particular set is made to be proportional to a change in the basic required manipulated variable Mfbdmd_a, and the ratio (gain) of a change in Fxdmd_n with respect to a change in Mfbdmd_a is made to change on the basis of gain adjustment parameters, such as side slip angles ?f_act and ?r_act.

Abstract: A control system for a mobile robot is provided with a base body 53 and a plurality of link mechanisms 52 and 54 connected thereto. A sensor 90 for detecting external forces is provided on a predetermined portion (knee) between the base body 53 and a distal portion (foot) 58 of the link mechanism (leg) 52. In a motion posture in which a robot 61 has a predetermined portion (knee) in contact with the ground, the displacement of at least a joint 55 between the base body 53 and the predetermined portion (knee) is controlled so as to bring an external force (floor reaction force) detected by the sensor 90 close to a desired external force. In a state wherein a portion other than a distal portion of a leg or arm of the robot 61 is in contact with a floor or the like and subject to an external force, the external force acting on the portion other than the distal portion of the leg or arm is properly controlled, thereby maintaining a stable posture of the robot 61.

Abstract: A driving/braking force manipulation control input of a k-th wheel, which denotes one or more specific wheels among a plurality of wheels of a vehicle, is determined such that a required condition concerning a relationship among a road surface reaction force that may act from a road surface on the k-th wheel on the basis of the detected values or estimated values of a road surface reaction force and a friction characteristic of the k-th wheel, a feedback control input related to the driving/braking force of the k-th wheel for bringing a difference between a state amount of the vehicle and a reference state amount close to zero, a driving/braking force feedforward control input based on a drive manipulated variable supplied by a driver of the vehicle, and a k-th wheel driving/braking force manipulation control input is satisfied.

Abstract: The legged mobile robot the foot comprises a foot main body connected to each leg, a toe provided at a fore end of the foot main body to be bendable with respect to the foot main body, and a bending angle holder capable of holding a bending angle of the toe in a bendable range of the toe. In addition, a legged mobile robot control system is configured to hold the bending angle of the toe at a first time point which is a liftoff time of the leg from a floor or earlier thereof, and to release the bending angle at a second time point after the leg has lifted off the floor to restore the toe to a initial position. With this, the bending angle at the time of liftoff can continue to be held after liftoff, whereby the robot can be prevented from becoming unstable owing to the toe contacting the floor immediately after liftoff. In addition, stability during tiptoe standing can be enhanced.

Abstract: A control input for operating an actual vehicle actuator and a control input for operating a vehicle model are determined by an FB distribution law based on a difference between a reference state amount determined by a vehicle model and an actual state amount of an actual vehicle such that the state amount error is approximated to zero, and then an actuator device of the actual vehicle and the model vehicle are operated based on the control inputs. The FB distribution law determines a control input for operating the model such that a state amount error is approximated to zero while restraining a predetermined restriction object amount from deviating from a permissible range. A vehicle control device capable of enhancing robustness against disturbance factors or their changes while performing operation control of actuators that is as suited to behaviors of an actual vehicle as possible is provided.

Abstract: A legged mobile robot and a control program for the robot cancel a spin force, which is generated by motions of a lower body (242), a leg (2) or the like, by a twisting motion of an upper body (241) relative to the lower body (242) and a swinging motion of an arm (80).

Abstract: A control means for controlling actuators of a vehicle creates a time series of a future behavior of the vehicle using a vehicle model. A state amount of the vehicle model is initialized on the basis of a state amount of the vehicle, and the future behavior is created starting from the initial state amount. The future behavior is created such that operation commands of the actuators in the vehicle model at the current time coincide with or approximate basic values based on operation of a manipulating device, such as a steering wheel of the vehicle. It is evaluated whether vehicle motion, road surface reaction force, and wheel sliding, in the created future behavior satisfy predetermined restrictive conditions. Based on the evaluation result, the operation commands of the actuators are successively decided. This permits ideal travel of the vehicle to be achieved by properly predicting future behaviors of the vehicle.

Abstract: A desired gait is generated so as to satisfy a dynamical equilibrium condition concerning the resultant force of gravity and an inertial force applied to a legged mobile robot 1 using a dynamics model which describes a relationship among at least a horizontal translation movement of a body 24 of the robot 1, a posture varying movement in which the posture of a predetermined part, such as the body 24, of the robot 1 is varied while keeping the center of gravity of the robot 1 substantially unchanged and floor reaction forces generated due to the movements and is defined on the assumption that a total floor reaction force generated due to a combined movement of the movements is represented as a linear coupling of the floor reaction forces associated with the movements. The dynamics model represents movements as a movement of a body material particle or the like and a rotational movement of a flywheel.

Abstract: A desired trajectory of a vertical component of a translation floor reaction force of a legged mobile robot 1, a vertical component of a total center-of-gravity acceleration or a body acceleration's vertical component of the robot 1 is determined, and a desired vertical position of a total center-of-gravity or body of the robot 1 is determined in such a manner that the vertical component of the translation floor reaction force, the vertical component of the total center-of-gravity acceleration or the body acceleration's vertical component agrees with the desired trajectory (that is, a dynamical equilibrium condition in the vertical direction is satisfied). Since the movement of the total center-of-gravity or the like in the vertical direction is determined after the desired trajectory of the vertical component of the translation floor reaction force or the like, a desired gait for the robot 1 suitable not only for walking but also for running can be generated.

Abstract: An allowable ranges of a horizontal component of the translation floor reaction or a floor-surface-parallel component of the translation floor reaction force of a legged mobile robot 1 or a horizontal component of a total center-of-gravity acceleration or a floor-surface-parallel component of a total center-of-gravity acceleration of the robot 1 (hereinafter referred to as a friction force component) is set, and a provisional movement of the robot 1 is determined so as to satisfy a predetermined dynamical equilibrium condition. When the friction force component determined by this provisional movement departs from the allowable range, a rate of change of an angular momentum around the center of gravity of the robot 1 is changed from the provisional movement so as to satisfy the dynamical equilibrium condition while limiting the friction force component within the allowable range to thereby determine a movement of a desired gait.

Abstract: An actual vehicle actuator operation control input and a model operation control input are determined by an FB distribution law such that the difference between a reference state amount determined in a vehicle model and an actual state amount of an actual vehicle approximates zero, and then an actuator device of the actual vehicle and the vehicle model are operated on the basis of the control inputs. The value of a parameter of the vehicle model is set according to an actual vehicle motional state such that the attenuation property of a reference state amount when a drive manipulated variable is changed is higher than the attenuation property of an actual state amount. Accordingly, the actual vehicle actuator device is properly controlled independently of an actual vehicle motional state such that a state amount related to an actual vehicle motion approximates a vehicle state amount on a dynamic characteristic model.

Abstract: A driving/braking force manipulation control input of a k-th wheel, which denotes one or more specific wheels among a plurality of wheels of a vehicle, is determined such that a required condition concerning a relationship among a road surface reaction force that may act from a road surface on the k-th wheel on the basis of the detected values or estimated values of a side slip angle and a friction characteristic of the k-th wheel, a feedback control input related to the driving/braking force of the k-th wheel for bringing a difference between a state amount of the vehicle and a reference state amount close to zero, a driving/braking force feedforward control input based on a drive manipulated variable supplied by a driver of the vehicle, and a k-th wheel driving/braking force manipulation control input is satisfied.

Abstract: A legged mobile robot which permits improved follow-up of an actual floor reaction force to a desired floor reaction force and which can be stably controlled is provided. According to a robot 1 in accordance with the present invention, a deformation amount (mechanism deformation amount) of a compliance mechanism 42 that occurs due to a desired floor reaction force of a foot (ground contacting portion) 22 is determined, and the operation of a leg 2 is controlled such that the foot 22 lands onto a floor at a predetermined velocity in a vertical direction or in a direction perpendicular to the floor surface on the basis of a component of the mechanism deformation amount in the vertical direction or a component thereof in the direction perpendicular to the floor surface.

Abstract: To provide a leg type mobile robot, in which a downsizing and wait-saving of floor reaction force detector to be installed on the foot is enabled. The center Pb of the force sensor is disposed on the position Pa where the distance to the remotest position of ground area provided on the bottom of each plate spring part S1 to S4 is minimum in the standing-still state of the robot R, and the distance L1, L2, L3, and L4 to the remotest point of the ground area of each plate spring part S1, S2, S3, and S4 is equal. The center Pc of the ankle joint is offset in a rearward direction with respect to the position Pa in a plane view.

Abstract: An assist device 11 is equipped with a spring means 21 (gas spring), and a piston 24 in a cylinder 23 moves upward or downward according to a relative displacement motion (flexing or stretching motion) of a thigh 4 and a crus 5 at a knee joint 8 of a leg 3 of a robot. Air chambers 25 and 26 above and below the piston 24 are filled with gases. If a flexing degree at the knee joint 8 is a predetermined value or less, then the air chambers 25 and 26 are brought into communication through a groove 28 in the cylinder 23, and the spring means 21 does not generate an elastic force, but if the flexing degree exceeds the predetermined value, then the air chambers 25 and 26 are hermetically sealed from each other and the spring means 21 produces an elastic force, the elastic force acting on the knee joint 8 as assisting driving force. A burden on a joint actuator of a leg can be reduced, while reducing energy consumption of the robot by using a small and simple construction.

Abstract: It is arranged such that displacement sensors (70) are installed at a position in or vicinity of elastic members (382), to generate outputs indicating a displacement of the floor contact end of a foot (22) relative to a second joint (18, 20), and a floor reaction force acting on the foot is calculated based on the outputs of the displacement sensors by using a model describing a relationship between the displacement and stress generated in the elastic members in response to the displacement, thereby enabling to achieve accurate calculation of the floor reaction force and more stable walking of a legged mobile robot (1). Further, a dual sensory system is constituted by combining different types of detectors, thereby enabling to enhance the detection accuracy. Furthermore, since it self-diagnoses whether abnormality or degradation occurs in the displacement sensors etc. and performs temperature compensation without using a temperature sensor, the detection accuracy can be further enhanced.

Abstract: A body weight support device of the present invention is equipped with a body attachment part attached to a user's body, a floor contact part provided contactably on a floor, a leg link part for connecting the body attachment part to the floor contact part through a joint part, an actuator for driving the joint part, and a control unit for controlling a drive of the actuator, wherein the control unit drives the actuator so that the leg link part gives a body weight support force to the user through the body attachment part.

Abstract: When gait parameters for specifying a gait to be generated of a mobile robot (1) are determined, the values of the priority parameters of the gait parameters are updated from the values of the priority gait parameters of predetermined base gait parameters such that the priority parameters approach and reach the original required values step by step. For every update, out of non-priority parameters other than the priority ones, the parameters to be sought are determined by seeking so that the parameters may satisfy the gait boundary condition on the dynamic model of the robot (1). Thus, the new gait parameters including the determined parameters and the updated priority parameters are determined. Lastly, the gate of the mobile robot (1) is generated using dynamic model and the new gait parameters determined when the priority parameters are made to agree with the requested value.

Abstract: A control device for a vehicle is equipped with a vehicle model motion determining device for determining a motion of a vehicle (a vehicle model motion) on a vehicle model expressing the dynamic characteristics of a vehicle on the basis of drive manipulated variables, such as an angle of steering by a driver, and a state amount error reaction control device for determining control inputs to an actuator control device of the actual vehicle and the vehicle model motion determining device according to a feedback law on the basis of a difference between a state amount of a vehicle model motion (model state amounts, such as a position or a posture of a vehicle) and a state amount of a motion of the actual vehicle 1 (a state amount error).

Abstract: A permissible range of a restriction object amount, which is a vertical component of a floor reaction force moment or a component of the floor reaction force moment in floor surface normal line direction, or a vertical component of an angular momentum changing rate of the robot or a component of the angular momentum changing rate in floor surface normal line direction, is set, and at least a provisional instantaneous value of a desired motion is input to a dynamic model so as to determine an instantaneous value of a model restriction object amount as an output of the dynamic model. An instantaneous value of a desired motion is determined by correcting the provisional instantaneous value of the desired motion such that at least the instantaneous value of the model restriction object amount falls within the permissible range.