Integrating Locomotor Subfunctions with Electric-Pneumatic Actuation

与生物肌肉相比，当前技术的致动器在其性能和通用性方面受到限制，无法实现类似人类的运动。为了解决这个问题，我们需要更好地理解生物腿运动，它可以在三个层次的结构中描述：1）不同运动子功能（LSF）的生成，即站立，摆动和平衡，2）LSF的组成，用于多功能腿运动和3）LSF适应各种运动任务和条件。为了克服驱动器的局限性，我们最近推出了混合EPA驱动器作为电动和气动驱动器的组合。EPA设计提供了直接访问控制和形态特性。我们最近证明，与EPA，致动器的限制，可以明显减少在垂直跳跃的立场LSF。在这个后续项目中，我们将探索EPA方法的全部潜力，将其应用扩展到上述三个层次的多功能运动。首先，我们想了解如何调整EPA设计和相应的控制，以匹配不同的（隔离的）LSF。在下一个层次中，我们将EPA方法扩展到多个LSF。在这里，我们期望不同的LSF以模块化的方式进行交互，并进行简约的感官信息交换。最后，我们将研究所需的适应确定EPA模块，以实现不同的运动任务和conditions.The EPA的设计和控制的好处将与新的生物启发腿式机器人（EPA跳线和EPA步行者），模块化和可扩展到不同的身体结构和运动目标进行验证。通过利用控制实施例（例如，通过实现双关节致动器），我们将利用人体的机械和功能特性，这几乎不能被使用神经控制所取代。EPA的设计将被优化，以最大限度地减少能源消耗，并在规定的运动条件范围内最大限度地提高对扰动的鲁棒性。人类行走和跳跃（可选扰动）的实验数据将用于优化EPA的设计和控制。随着机械和控制设计的共同发展，EPA技术为广泛的应用提供了新的多功能，高效和强大的运动系统。为此，我们提供了所需的基础设施，以高能效和最小的控制工作量轻松地在不同的步态条件之间切换。

Compared to biological muscles, current technical actuators are limited in their performance and versatility to realize human-like locomotion. For resolving this problem we need to better understand biological legged locomotion which can be described in a three-level structure: 1) generation of the different locomotor subfunctions (LSF), namely stance, swing, and balance, 2) composition of LSFs for versatile legged locomotion and 3) LSF adaptation for various locomotion tasks and conditions. In order to overcome the actuator limitations for locomotion, we recently introduced the hybrid EPA actuator as a combination of electric and pneumatic actuators. The EPA design provides direct access to the control and morphological properties. We recently demonstrated that with the EPA, the actuator limitations could be clearly reduced for stance LSF in vertical hopping. In this follow-up project, we will explore the full potential of the EPA approach by extending its application to versatile locomotion following the above mentioned three levels. First, we want to understand how the EPA design and the corresponding control needs to be adapted to match different (isolated) LSFs. In the next level, we extend the EPA approach to multiple LSFs. Here we expect that the different LSFs interact in a modular way with a parsimonious exchange of sensory information. Finally, we will study the required adaptation of identified EPA modules to realize different locomotion tasks and conditions.The benefits of EPA based design and control will be validated with new bioinspired legged robots (EPA-Jumper and EPA-Walker), both modular and extendable to different body architectures and movement goals. By exploiting control embodiment (e.g., by implementing biarticular actuators), we will take advantage of the mechanical and functional properties of the human body, which can barely be replaced by using neural control. The EPA design will be optimized to minimize energy consumption and maximize robustness against perturbations over a defined range of movement conditions. Experimental data on human walking and hopping (with optional perturbations) will be used to optimize the EPA design and control. With the envisioned co-evolution of mechanics and control design, EPA technology enables new versatile, efficient, and robust locomotor systems for a wide range of applications. For this, we provide the required infrastructure to easily switch between different gait conditions with high energy efficiency and minimum control effort.