7 accepted papers
The parallelism afforded by GPUs presents significant advantages in training controllers through reinforcement learning (RL). However, integrating model-based optimization into this process remains challenging due to the complexity of formulating and solving optimization problems across thousands of
Thanks to recent advancements in accelerating non-linear model predictive control (NMPC), it is now feasible to deploy whole-body NMPC at real-time rates for humanoid robots. However, enforcing inequality constraints in real time for such high-dimensional systems remains challenging due to the need
The main challenge in developing effective reinforcement learning (RL) pipelines is often the design and tuning the reward functions. Well-designed shaping reward can lead to significantly faster learning. Naively formulated rewards, however, can conflict with the desired behavior and result in over…
Model predictive control (MPC) is a powerful tool to control systems with non-linear dynamics and constraints, but its computational demands impose limitations on the dynamics model used for planning. Instead of using a single complex model along the MPC horizon, model hierarchy predictive control (…
Humans noticeably swing their arms for balancing and locomotion. Although the underlying biomechanical mechanisms have been studied, it is unclear how robots can fully take advantage of these appendages. Most controllers that exploit arms for balance and locomotion rely on feedback and cannot antici…
Supernumerary robotic limbs are emerging to augment human function. Unlike exoskeletons, these robots provide additional kinematic structures to the user that enable novel human-robot interactions. To assist walking, a supernumerary leg should be compliant to impacts, minimize efforts on users, move
Lower-limb exoskeletons have shown increasing potential to augment human performance in many locomotion tasks. However, most lower-limb exoskeletons use highly geared, nonback-drivable actuators with limited power and force bandwidth in order to be light enough to be carried without metabolic penalt