An energy-efficient bipedal walking robot

这里的目标是开发一种动力双足机器人，以更像人类的方式行走，比之前所有具有类似能力的步行机器人消耗更少的能量。机器人的几何形状将松散地以人体部位为基础。这个机器人将通过追求效率和简单来产生逼真的运动，而不是通过跟踪轨迹。另一些人则制造了设计精美的类人行走机器人，它们有扁平足，动作经过精心控制，可以一个关节接一个关节，在每一个时刻都能平稳地移动。这些机器人每单位重量和距离消耗的能量通常是人类的50倍。Ruina的方法将建立在他的康奈尔实验室最近的双足机器人的基础上，该机器人具有自然的步态，并且使用（按比例）与人类消耗的能量一样多。现有的康奈尔机器人，基于McGeer的“被动动态”方法，基本上是用棍子和铰链排列，让人想起人体，并配有一个小马达，当每只脚离开地面时伸展脚踝。正在开发的机器人将增加一些功能，包括站立不动、开始和停止行走、以不同的速度行走和转弯。智力上的优点：这个新机器人将测试一个普遍的假设，即机器人通过保持能量效率和控制简单性来很好地模仿人类。更广泛的影响：机器人是科学教育的天然工具。与过去几年一样，康奈尔大学的本科生也将参与这项研究。参观实验室的高中生受到启发。与明尼苏达科学博物馆赛博格展览的合作将继续，与媒体的合作也将继续。这一概念的传播应该改变那些参与机器人设计的人以及那些参与诊断和纠正人类行走障碍的人的思维方式

The goal here is to develop a powered bipedal robot that walks in a more human-looking manner and with smaller energy cost than all previous walking robots that have similar gross abilities. The geometry of the robot will be loosely based on human body parts. This robot will generate its life-like motions by chasing efficiency and simplicity rather than by tracking trajectories. Others have built beautifully engineered humanoid walking robots with flat feet and with motions that are carefully controlled to move smoothly, joint by joint and at every instant in time. These robots typically use about 50 times as much energy per unit weight and distance as does a person. Ruina's approach will build on his Cornell lab's recent bipedal robot that has a natural-looking gait and which uses (scaled) about as much energy as is used by a human. The existent Cornell robot, based on the `passive dynamic' approach of McGeer, is basically sticks and hinges arranged in a way that is reminiscent of a human body, and with a small motor to extend the ankles as each foot leaves the ground. The robot being developed will add functionality including the ability to stand still, to start and stop walking, to walk at various speeds, and to turn. Intellectual merit: The proposed new robot will test the general hypothesis that robotic human mimicry is well-accomplished by holding energetic efficiency and control simplicity paramount. Broader impact: Robots serve as a natural vehicle of science education. As in past years at Cornell, undergraduate students will be involved in the research. Visiting high-school students are inspired by visits to the lab. Cooperation with the Science Museum of Minnesota Cyborgs exhibit will continue as will cooperation with the media. Dissemination of the should alter the mode of thinking of those involved in the design of robots and also of those involved in the diagnosis and correction of human walking disabilities