Robots on the Edge: Enabling Non-Specific Mulit-Limbed Robots with Autonomous Free-Climbing Capabilities

边缘机器人：使非特定多肢机器人具有自主自由攀爬能力这个项目的目标是对攀爬的问题解决活动有一个基本的理解，然后基于这种理解创造新的技术，使非特定多肢机器人能够自由攀爬自然的、非结构化的、垂直的地形。攀登被人类登山者认为是在高度非结构化的环境中解决体力问题的活动。总的来说，攀爬涉及到快速而深刻的推理、目标导向的感知和反应性执行的紧密结合。需要复杂的规划来处理代理运动中的硬约束（例如，平衡，扭矩限制，碰撞），以及软约束（例如，不确定性，风险水平，能量消耗）。精确的感知（如触觉、视觉）用于搜索和检测非结构化岩石表面的潜在矿点，估计接触点的位置和特征，并预测或检测滑动。通过仔细分配接触力来保持平衡需要精细的控制。解决攀爬问题需要将这些活动融合成一个无缝的过程。该计划将在地形建模、多约束轨迹规划和鲁棒运动策略的特定领域寻求进展，最初的重点是多约束轨迹规划和控制。JPL的LEMUR II机器人将用于验证程序的实验结果。它将用于演示在未知环境下的多步攀登。目标是让它自主攀登室内岩壁（类似于攀岩馆）。

Robots on the Edge:Enabling Non-Specific Multi-Limbed Robots with Autonomous Free-Climbing CapabilitiesThe goal of this program is to develop a fundamental understanding of the problem-solving activity underlying climbing, then to create new technologies based on this understanding that will enable non-specific multi-limbed robots to free-climb natural, unstructured, vertical terrain. Climbing is regarded by human climbers to be a physical problem-solving activity in a highly unstructured environment. Overall, climbing involves a tight combination of fast but insightful reasoning, goal-directed sensing, and reactive execution. Sophisticated planning is required to handle hard constraints (e.g., equilibrium, torque limits, collision) on the agent's motion, as well as softer ones (e.g., uncertainties, risk level, energy consumption). Precise sensing (e.g., tactile, vision) is used to search and detect potential holds in the unstructured rock face, estimate the location and characteristics of contact points, and anticipate or detect slip. Fine control is needed to maintain balance through careful distribution of contact forces. A solution to the climbing problem requires that these activities be fused into a seamless process. This program will seek advances in the specific areas of terrain modeling, multi-constraint trajectory planning and robust motion strategies with an initial emphasis on multi-constraint trajectory planning and control. The LEMUR II robot of JPL will be used to validate experimentally the results of the program. It will be used to demonstrate multi-step climbing in an unknown environment. The goal is to have it climb autonomously an indoor rock wall (similar to a climbing gym).