A controller design to suppress vertical vibration of a position controlled biped walking robot is presented. The system model of structural vibration is estimated from a measurement of frequency response. By using the model, an optimal feedback controller with full state observer is designed. With a consideration of leg support phase, the vibration controller is combined into our walking controller. The effectiveness of our controller is experimentally demonstrated.

This paper presents a basic study on feasibility of usage of humanoid robots as an evaluator of assistive devices, by taking advantage of its anthropomorphic shape. In this new application humanoid are expected to help evaluation through quantitative measures, which is difficult with human subjects, and also to reduce the burden coming from ethical concerns with costly tests by human subjects. Taking a passive supportive wear “Smart Suit Lite” designed to relieve the load at lower back as an example, we have conducted pilot experiments by using the humanoid robot HRP-4C. The motion to be performed by the humanoid is obtained through retargeting technique from measured human lifting motion. The supportive effect is first estimated by simulation taking into account the mechanism of the supportive device. The experimentation of humanoid hardware brought us encouraging results on the basic feasibility of this application, as we observed a clear decrease of the torque for lifting when wearing the device as expected by the simulation.

This paper presents a method for generating a turning motion in a humanoid robot by allowing the feet of the robot to slip on the ground. As humans, we exploit the fact that our feet can slip on the ground, and allowing humanoid robots to realize this same motion is a worthwhile study. In this paper, we propose the hypothesis that a turning motion is caused by the effect of minimizing the power generated by floor friction. A model of rotation from this friction is then described based on our hypothesis. The proposed model suggests that only the trajectory and shape of the robot's feet determine the amount of rotation from a slip, and that the friction coefficient between the floor and the soles of the robot, as well as the velocity of the feet, do not affect the resultant angle. Verification is conducted through an experiment with a humanoid robot known as HRP-2. Next, to obtain the foot motion necessary to realize the desired rotational angle, the inverse problem is solved by confining the trajectory of the center of the foot to an arc shape. This solution is verified through an experiment with another humanoid robot, HRP-4C.

We present the realization of quick turning motion of a humanoid robot on its toes via slipping between its feet and the floor. A rotation model is described on the basis of our hypothesis that turning via slip occurs as a result of minimizing the power caused by floor friction. Using the model, the trajectory of the center of the foot can be generated to realize the desired rotational angle. Toe joints are used to realize quicker turning motion, while avoiding excessive motor load due to frictional torque. Quick slip-turn motion with toe support is successfully demonstrated using a humanoid robot HRP-4C.

Hardware improvement of cybernetic human HRP-4C for entertainment is presented in this paper. We coined the word ¿Cybernetic Human¿ to explain a humanoid robot with a realistic head and a realistic figure of a human being. HRP-4C stands for Humanoid Robotics Platform-4 (Cybernetic human). Its joints and dimensions conform to average values of young Japanese females and HRP-4C looks very human-like. We have made HRP-4C present in several events to search for a possibility of use in the entertainment industry. Based on feedback from our experience, we improved its hardware. The new hand, the new foot with active toe joint, and the new eye with camera are introduced.

This paper presents the development of humanoid robotics platform - 4 (or HRP-4 for short). The high-density implementation used for HRP-4C, the cybernetic human developed by AIST, is also applied to HRP-4. HRP-4 has a total of 34 degrees of freedom, including 7 degrees of freedom for each arm to facilitate object handling and has a slim, lightweight body with a height of 151 [cm] and weight 39 [kg]. The software platform OpenRTM-aist and a Linux kernel with the RT-Preempt patch are used in the HRP-4 software system. Design concepts and mechanisms are presented with its basic specification in this paper.

This paper presents preliminary results and analysis on generating turning motion of a humanoid robot by slipping the feet on the ground. Humans unconsciously exploit the fact that our feet slip on the ground; such slip motion is necessary for humanoids so as to realize sophisticated human-like motions. In order to generate the slip motion, we need to predict the amount of slip. We propose the hypothesis that the turning motion is caused by the effect of minimizing the power generated by floor friction. A model of rotation by friction force is described on the basis of our hypothesis. The case that a robot applies the same force on both feet is discussed; then, we extend the discussion to the case of different force distribution. The hypothesis is verified through experiments with a humanoid robot HRP-2.

A novel framework of biped walking stabilization control is introduced. The target robot is a 42 DOF humanoid robot HRP-4C which has a body dimensions close to the average Japanese female. We develop a body posture controller and foot force controllers on the joint position servo of the robot. By applying this posture/force control, we can regard the robot system as a simple linear inverted pendulum with ZMP delay. After a preliminary experiment to confirm the linear dynamics, we design a tracking controller for walking stabilization. It is evaluated in the experiments of HRP-4C walking and turning on a lab floor. The robot can also perform an outdoor walk on an uneven pavement.

In this paper, we generate the biped gait of a humanoid robot that looks like a human's one. To generate the human like motion, we first capture walking motion of a human. Then, we analyze the captured data and obtain several information such as the relationship between the step length and waist height etc. We consider applying these informations to the real humanoid robot. Also, when the human walks, the sway of the waist is smaller than most of the humanoid robot's one. By compensating the angular momentum of the robot and by modifying the ZMP trajectory, we show that sway of the robot's waist can be smaller. We show the effectiveness of the proposed method through simulation and experimental results.

This paper proposes the kinodynamic gait planning for humanoid robots where both kinematics and dynamics of the system are considered. We can simultaneously plan both the foot-place and the whole-body motion taking the dynamical balance of the robot into consideration. As a dynamic constraint, we consider the differential equation of the robotpsilas CoG. To solve this constraint, we assume two walking pattern generators; the offline and the online ones. We randomly sample the configuration space to search for the path connecting the start and the goal configurations. When sampling the configuration space, three milestones are sequentially connected to the parent milestone. To show the effectiveness of the proposed methods, we show simulation and experimental results where the humanoid robot HRP-2 walks on several environments.

To duplicate human motion on the computer while retaining the individuality of the source, this paper discusses what the viewers focus on when they attempt to distinguish the identity of the source. In order to define the degree of similarity on motion, the data obtained by motion capture system are categorized using Self-Organizing maps, and the validity of the categorization is investigated to confirm the extent to which it is in agreement with the viewer's intuitive judgment. Human walking patterns are measured and shown as animations of a skeleton model to permit distinction testing. The degree of similarity between walking patterns is calculated according to the results of the tests. The motion data are processed using Self-Organizing maps, and the degree of similarity from the aspect of data processing is also calculated as the distance between walking patterns in the map. These two measures of similarity are compared, and it is found that the degree of similarity between the human viewpoint and the data processing viewpoint indicates a high level of correlation.

In this paper, we present a robot positioning task with respect to a static target using visual servoing and optimization techniques. The vision system is uncalibrated. The displacements of the robot are generated in real time in order to minimize an objective function using a simplex method and a Newton-like method. Our method allows for the inclusion of constraints in the image as well as in joint space. On-line image Jacobian estimation runs at the same time, and is used to accelerate convergence near the target. We successfully validate this method with simulations under the graphic library OpenGL, and practical experiment with industrial manipulators.

In this paper, we present a robot positioning task with respect to a static target using visual servoing and optimization techniques. The vision system is uncalibrated and the kinematic model of the robot may be totally unknown. The displacements of the robot are generated in real time in order to minimize an objective function. The objective function includes the quadratic error between the current target image and the desired target image. A simplex method is used to minimize the objective function. Our method allows the system to include constraints in the image as well as in joint-space. We successfully validate this method, with simulations under the graphic library QpenGL and with experiments on a 6-DOF industrial manipulator.