Integrating Locomotor Subfunctions with Electric-Pneumatic Actuation

与生物肌肉相比，目前的技术执行器在实现类人运动方面的性能和通用性有限。为了解决这个问题，我们需要更好地理解生物腿部运动，它可以用一个三级结构来描述：1)不同运动子功能(LSF)的产生，即站立、摆动和平衡，2)用于多功能腿部运动的LSF的组成，以及3)LSF对各种运动任务和条件的适应。为了克服执行器在移动方面的局限性，我们最近引入了混合EPA执行器，它是电动和气动执行器的组合。环保局的设计提供了对控制和形态属性的直接访问。我们最近证明，有了环境保护局，垂直跳跃中的站姿LSF的执行器限制可以明显减少。在这个后续项目中，我们将探索EPA方法的全部潜力，将其应用于上述三个级别的多功能移动。首先，我们想了解环境保护局的设计和相应的控制需要如何调整，以匹配不同的(隔离的)LSF。在下一级别中，我们将EPA方法扩展到多个LSF。在这里，我们期望不同的LSF以模块化的方式相互作用，并以简约的感觉信息交换。最后，我们将研究确定的EPA模块实现不同运动任务和条件所需的适应性。基于EPA的设计和控制的好处将通过新型仿生腿机器人(EPA-Jumper和EPA-Walker)得到验证，这些机器人具有模块化和可扩展到不同的身体结构和运动目标。通过开发控制实施例(例如，通过实施双关节执行器)，我们将利用人体的机械和功能特性，这些特性是神经控制难以替代的。环保局的设计将进行优化，以最大限度地减少能源消耗，并最大限度地增强对定义的运动条件范围内的扰动的稳健性。关于人类行走和跳跃(带有可选扰动)的实验数据将被用于优化环境保护局的设计和控制。随着力学和控制设计的共同进化，EPA技术使新的通用、高效和强大的运动系统能够应用于广泛的领域。为此，我们提供了所需的基础设施，以便在不同的步态条件之间轻松切换，具有高能效和最小的控制力。

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.