13 accepted papers
We propose an effective whole-body MPC controller for locomotion of humanoid robots. Our method generates motions using the full kinematics, allowing it to account for joint limits and to exploit upper-body motions to reject disturbances. Each MPC iteration solves a single QP that considers the inte…
In most MPC-based schemes used for humanoid gait generation, simple Quadratic Programming (QP) problems are considered for real-time implementation. Since these only allow for convex constraints, the generated gait may be conservative. In this paper we focus on the non-convex reachable region of the…
We present a whole-body control architecture for the generation of stable task-oriented motions in Wheeled Inverted Pendulum (WIP) robots. Controlling WIP systems is challenging because the successful execution of tasks is subordinate to the ability to maintain balance. Our feedback control approach…
In order to guarantee precision and safety in robotic surgery, accurate models of the robot and proper control strategies are needed. Bayesian Neural Networks (BNN) are capable of learning complex models and provide information about the uncertainties of the learned system. Model Predictive Control
The feasibility region of a Model Predictive Control (MPC) algorithm is the subset of the state space in which the constrained optimization problem to be solved is feasible. In our recent Intrinsically Stable MPC (IS-MPC) method for humanoid gait generation, feasibility means being able to satisfy t
It is common knowledge that tractor-trailer vehicles are affected by jackknifing, a phenomenon that consists in the divergence of the trailer hitch angle and ultimately causes the vehicle to fold up. For the case of backwards motion, in which jackknifing can also occur at low speeds, we present a co…
We present an extension of our previously proposed IS-MPC method for humanoid gait generation aimed at obtaining robust performance in the presence of disturbances. The considered disturbance signals vary in a range of known amplitude around a mid-range value that can change at each sampling time, b…
We consider the known phenomenon of torque oscillations and motion instabilities that occur in redundant robots during the execution of sufficiently long Cartesian trajectories when the joint torque is instantaneously minimized. In the framework of online local redundancy resolution methods, we prop
We consider a pursuit-evasion problem between humanoids in the presence of obstacles. In our scenario, the pursuer enters the safety area of the evader headed for collision, while the latter executes a fast evasive motion. Control schemes are designed for both the pursuer and the evader. They are st…
We consider a pursuit-evasion problem between humanoids. In our scenario, the pursuer enters the safety area of the evader headed for collision, while the latter executes a fast evasive motion. Control schemes are designed for both the pursuer and the evader. They are structurally identical, althoug…
In this paper, we address the problem of planning optimal zero moment point (ZMP) trajectories for the double support phase in bipedal gaits that alternate between single and double support. This is achieved by allowing pre- and post-actuation during the single support phases. Thus, we solve two cou…
We present a method for performing evasive motions with a humanoid robot. In the considered scenario, the robot is standing in a workspace, when a moving obstacle (e.g., a human, or another robot) enters its safety area and heads towards it; the humanoid must plan and execute in real-time a maneuver
In this paper, we address the problem of gait generation for bipedal robots. We cast the determination of a Center of Mass (CoM) reference trajectory for a given Zero Moment Point (ZMP) desired behaviour as a stable inversion problem for non-minimum phase systems and obtain an analytical solution fo…