INSPIRE Track 1: The Mathematics of Balance in Mechanical Systems with Impacts, Unilateral Constraints, Underactuation and Hyper-sensing: Application to Agile bipedal Locomotion

该INSPIRE奖项的部分资金来自工程理事会电气、通信和网络系统部门的能源、电力和自适应系统项目、土木、机械和制造创新部门的控制系统项目、工程理事会的信息和智能系统部门的稳健智能项目计算机和信息科学与工程理事会，数学和物理科学理事会数学科学司应用数学方案。虽然我们正在见证双足机器人建造技术的真正革命，但平衡科学，如反馈控制算法中所体现的，允许这些机器人站立，行走和跨越障碍物，仍处于起步阶段。当前的反馈算法需要针对每台机器和每种步态进行费力、耗时的试错调整。如果双足机器人要发挥其潜在的作用，从帮助家中的老人或体弱者到灾难和救援响应，它们的控制软件开发过程必须建立在更好的科学基础上。智力优势：该项目借鉴了力学，MEMS器件，数学和反馈系统，使双足机器人建模和反馈控制设计的实践发生了翻天覆地的变化。这项工作旨在促进对腿部运动的科学理解，以便在可靠的模型和基于模型的反馈控制器设计的原则性方法上对性能目标进行数学可行性测试。该项目的理论成果正在密歇根大学的3D双足机器人上进行实验评估。更广泛的影响：双足运动研究的重要医疗应用包括下肢假肢和受伤后行走和平衡康复装置。PI利用他们在数学，传感，反馈系统和机器人方面的跨学科工作来促进STEM学科。研究人员积极参与快速传播，包括在YouTube频道、电视节目上发布视频，以及每周参观他们的机器人实验室。

This INSPIRE award is partially funded by Energy,Power and Adaptive Systems Program in the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems in the Directorate For Engineering, Control Systems Program in the Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovations, in the Directorate for Engineering, Robust Intelligence Program in the Division of Information and Intelligent Systems in the Directorate for Computer and Information Science and Engineering, Applied Mathematics Program in the Division of Mathematical Sciences in the Directorate for Mathematical and Physical Sciences. While we are witnessing a veritable revolution in bipedal robot construction technology, the science of balance, as embodied in the feedback control algorithms that allow these robots to stand, walk, and step over obstacles is still in its infancy. Current feedback algorithms demand laborious, time consuming trial-and-error tuning specific to each machine and each gait. If bipedal robots are ever to fulfill their potential roles from assisting the elderly or infirm in their homes to disaster and rescue response, their control software development process must be founded on better science. Intellectual Merit: The project draws upon mechanics, MEMS devices, mathematics, and feedback systems to make a sea change in the practice of modeling and feedback control design in bipedal robots. The work seeks to advance scientific understanding of legged locomotion so that performance objectives can be tested mathematically for feasibility on reliable models and principled methods exist for model-based feedback controller design. The theoretical results of the project are being evaluated experimentally on a 3D bipedal robot at the University of Michigan.Broader Impacts: Important medical applications of bipedal locomotion research include lower-limb prostheses and devices for the rehabilitation of walking and balance after injury. The PIs use their interdisciplinary work in mathematics, sensing, feedback systems, and robotics to promote STEM subjects. The researchers are actively involved in rapid dissemination including videos posted on YouTube channels, television programs, and weekly tour of their robotics laboratory.