Morphological computation of multi-gaited robot locomotion based on free vibration.

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the study of gait patterns in both animals and robots, because it allows us to systematically investigate the underlying mechanisms of energetics, dexterity, and autonomy of adaptive systems. In particular, for morphological computation research, the control of dynamic legged robots and their gait transitions provides additional insights into the guiding principles from a synthetic viewpoint for the emergence of sensible self-organizing behaviors in more-degrees-of-freedom systems. This article presents a novel approach to the study of gait patterns, which makes use of the intrinsic mechanical dynamics of robotic systems. Each of the robots consists of a U-shaped elastic beam and exploits free vibration to generate different locomotion patterns. We developed a simplified physics model of these robots, and through experiments in simulation and real-world robotic platforms, we show three distinctive mechanisms for generating different gait patterns in these robots.

Resonance based multi-gaited robot locomotion

In order to understand the underlying mechanisms of animals' agility, dexterity and efficiency in motor control, there has been an increasing interest in the study of gait patterns in biological and artificial legged systems. This paper presents a novel approach to the study of gait patterns which makes use of intrinsic mechanical dynamics of robotic systems. Each of these robots consists of a U-shape elastic beam and exploits free vibration to generate different gait patterns. We developed a conceptual model for these robots, and through simulation and real-world experiments, we show three distinct mechanisms for generating four different gait patterns in these robots. © 2012 IEEE.

Trajectory control based on discrete full-range dynamics

There has been an increasing interest in the use of mechanical dynamics, (e.g., assive, Elastic, And viscous dynamics) for energy efficient and agile control of robotic systems. Despite the impressive demonstrations of behavioural performance, The mechanical dynamics of this class of robotic systems is still very limited as compared to those of biological systems. For example, Passive dynamic walkers are not capable of generating joint torques to compensate for disturbances from complex environments. In order to tackle such a discrepancy between biological and artificial systems, We present the concept and design of an adaptive clutch mechanism that discretely covers the full-range of dynamics. As a result, The system is capable of a large variety of joint operations, including dynamic switching among passive, actuated and rigid modes. The main innovation of this paper is the framework and algorithm developed for controlling the trajectory of such joint. We present different control strategies that exploit passive dynamics. Simulation results demonstrate a significant improvement in motion control with respect to the speed of motion and energy efficiency. The actuator is implemented in a simple pendulum platform to quantitatively evaluate this novel approach.

Enlarging regions of stable running with segmented legs

In human and animal running spring-like leg behavior is found, and similar concepts have been demonstrated by various robotic systems in the past. In general, a spring-mass model provides self-stabilizing characteristics against external perturbations originated in leg-ground interactions and motor control. Although most of these systems made use of linear spring-like legs. The question addressed in this paper is the influence of leg segmentation (i.e. the use of rotational joint and two limb-segments) to the self-stability of running, as it appears to be a common design principle in nature. This paper shows that, with the leg segmentation, the system is able to perform self-stable running behavior in significantly broader ranges of running speed and control parameters (e.g. control of angle of attack at touchdown, and adjustment of spring stiffness) by exploiting a nonlinear relationship between leg force and leg compression. The concept is investigated by using a two-segment leg model and a robotic platform, which demonstrate the plausibility in the real world. ©2008 IEEE.

Motor control optimization of compliant one-legged locomotion in rough terrain

While underactuated robotic systems are capable of energy efficient and rapid dynamic behavior, we still do not fully understand how body dynamics can be actively used for adaptive behavior in complex unstructured environment. In particular, we can expect that the robotic systems could achieve high maneuverability by flexibly storing and releasing energy through the motor control of the physical interaction between the body and the environment. This paper presents a minimalistic optimization strategy of motor control policy for underactuated legged robotic systems. Based on a reinforcement learning algorithm, we propose an optimization scheme, with which the robot can exploit passive elasticity for hopping forward while maintaining the stability of locomotion process in the environment with a series of large changes of ground surface. We show a case study of a simple one-legged robot which consists of a servomotor and a passive elastic joint. The dynamics and learning performance of the robot model are tested in simulation, and then transferred the results to the real-world robot. ©2007 IEEE.

Morphological computation for adaptive behavior and cognition

Traditionally, in robotics, artificial intelligence and neuroscience, there has been a focus on the study of the control or the neural system itself. Recently there has been an increasing interest in the notion of embodiment not only in robotics and artificial intelligence, but also in the neurosciences, psychology and philosophy. In this paper, we introduce the notion of morphological computation, and demonstrate how it can be exploited on the one hand for designing intelligent, adaptive robotic systems, and on the other hand for understanding natural systems. While embodiment has often been used in its trivial meaning, i.e. "intelligence requires a body", the concept has deeper and more important implications, concerned with the relation between physical and information (neural, control) processes. Morphological computation is about connecting body, brain and environment. A number of case studies are presented to illustrate the concept. We conclude with some speculations about potential lessons for neuroscience and robotics. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploiting body dynamics for controlling a running quadruped robot

Exploiting the body dynamics to control the behavior of robots is one of the most challenging issues, because the use of body dynamics has a significant potential in order to enhance both complexity of the robot design and the speed of movement. In this paper, we explore the control strategy of rapid four-legged locomotion by exploiting the intrinsic body dynamics. Based on the fact that a simple model of four-legged robot is known to exhibit interesting locomotion behavior, this paper analyzes the characteristics of the dynamic locomotion for the purpose of the locomotion control. The results from a series of running experiments with a robot show that, by exploiting the unique characteristics induced by the body dynamics, the forward velocity can be controlled by using a very simple method, in which only one control parameter is required. Furthermore it is also shown that a few of such different control parameters exist, each of them can control the forward velocity. Interestingly, with these parameters, the robot exhibits qualitatively different behavior during the locomotion, which could lead to our comprehensive understanding toward the behavioral diversity of adaptive robotic systems. © 2005 IEEE.

软件体系结构分析与评价方法评述

近年来,软件体系结构逐渐成为软件工程领域的研究热点以及大型软件系统开发和产品线开发中的关键技术.体系结构分析评价的目的是为了识别体系结构设计中的潜在风险,帮助开发人员进行设计决策.从软件体系结构的概念出发,分类介绍了体系结构描述的不同观点,评述了国内外有代表性的分析评价方法和工具.最后探讨了软件体系结构分析评价研究中存在的不足及其原因,作为总结,给出体系结构分析评价未来的发展方向.

软件体系结构设计技术及其应用

在大规模软件开发的过程中,软件体系结构设计起着举足轻重的作用,用它来指导整个开发过程,可以准确满足需求并充分提高软件系统的重用性和可维护性.结合数据传输工具DataTrans,详细阐述了一种描绘体系结构的标准化方法并阐述了该方法在DataTrans中的应用.

遥操作机器人系统时延控制方法综述

遥操作机器人系统的应用和研究是目前机器人学一个重要的研究领域.尤其是网络遥操作系统的产生,更进一步扩大了应用领域,并对控制系统的设计带来了新的挑战.该文主要从控制的角度,面向各种性质的时延(如确定的或未知的,时变的或固定的等)对遥操作系统所带来的稳定性和透明度等问题,针对近年来为解决这些问题所提出的新的控制方法和理论进行系统的综述和分析,指出现有各种方法的优缺点,并提出了今后控制方法的研究方向和应具有的特点.

基于网络的机器人遥操作系统：运动描述语言方法

基于网络的机器人遥操作系统是互联网技术与机器人技术相结合的产物，其基本特点是操作者的决策能力与远端机器人系统精确、快速运动能力的有机结合，这种结合通过互联网这种廉价的通讯媒介得以实现。这类系统较之于传统机器人系统的优点主要体现在两个方面：一方面延伸了操作者的感知和操作能力，使操作者可以置身于安全的环境中而完成危险环境中的作业任务；另一方面提高了机器人对工作环境的适应能力，辅之以操作者的决策，机器人可以工作于非结构化的工作环境中。随着互联网技术的飞速发展，基于网络的机器人遥操作技术在远程医疗、远程服务、远程制造等领域得到了广泛的应用。 互联网技术为机器人遥操作技术的应用开辟了广阔的应用前景，但同时也带来了新的挑战，互联网数据传输的特征——有限带宽、随机时延、丢包和乱序等——降低了遥操作系统的性能，甚至造成系统的不稳定。传统的主从式控制策略增加了操作者的工作负担，而且需要占用大量网络带宽，造成网络资源的浪费；而协作式控制策略虽然可以减少通信量，但操作者对机器人系统的影响降低，而且只能依据经验设计。另外，传统的控制策略并没有考虑机器人遥操作系统的混杂本质特征。一个理想的机器人网络遥操作系统应该能够实现系统计算、通信等功能的合理划分。合理划分的原则是：把操作者从控制闭环中解放出来，适当减轻操作者的工作压力；充分利用机器人系统的计算能力和运动能力，降低系统对网络带宽的需求；适当保留操作者对机器人系统的决策能力，从端机器人系统要有一定的自主能力。基于以上基本原则，本文提出了基于运动描述语言（Motion Description Language, MDL）的机器人网络遥操作系统设计方法，针对该方法在以下几个方面进行了深入研究： 1. 针对现有的机器人网络遥操作系统结构存在的问题，提出了基于运动描述语言的机器人网络遥操作系统控制结构。该控制结构充分考虑了机器人网络遥操作系统的构成特点，实现了系统计算、通信等功能的合理划分，为系统设计奠定了基础。 2. 结合基于事件的规划与控制理论，提出了新的运动描述语言模型，并以轮式移动机器人的镇定问题为例说明了基于运动描述语言的机器人系统控制方法。为了分析运动描述语言的网络环境特征，我们对基于运动描述语言的机器人网络遥操作系统进行了仿真研究，并与传统的遥操作方法进行了对比分析，仿真结果表明，基于运动描述语言的控制方法对网络随机延迟具有鲁棒性。 3. 在基于网络的机器人遥操作系统中，操作者依据系统运行过程中特定的事件进行决策，据此提出了遥操作系统中的信息变换和运动描述语言框架中的增强信息反馈方法。在信息变换方法中，针对各种媒体信息的特点以及操作者的感知特征，把视频信息转换为力信息，引导操作者提供和系统状态对应的控制命令。运动描述语言框架中的增强信息反馈方法反映了操作者感知离散事件的本质特征，对操作者感兴趣的离散事件进行了凸显，增强了操作者的感知能力。实验结果验证了两种方法的有效性。 4. 针对具体的遥操作目标抓取任务，建立了基于运动描述语言的机器人网络遥操作原型系统，定义了一致可操作性的概念，并探讨了运动描述语言框架中的优化问题。通过实验对传统的控制方法与基于运动描述语言的控制方法进行了对比分析，实验结果说明，基于运动描述语言的机器人网络遥操作系统在降低操作者工作负担以及减少对通信网络带宽需求方面具有很大的优势。 基于运动描述语言的机器人网络遥操作系统克服了传统控制方法的缺点，通过抽象实现了数据的压缩，这种特点较之于传统的控制方法在降低通信量以及操作者的工作负担方面具有很大的优势，对于提高机器人网络遥操作系统的性能具有现实意义。

载人潜器半物理虚拟仿真系统及其性能分析

为了缩短深海载人潜器控制系统的开发周期,测试系统性能,根据载人潜器的自身特点,构建和实现了载人潜器所有传感器、执行器设备模拟,以及潜器在海底实景的运动状态的半物理虚拟仿真系统。首先,以仿真系统的硬件架构和数据流程为基础,重点介绍了潜器设备模拟的软件体系结构;其次,在仿真平台上测试了各种网络数据的传输延迟,分析了其整体性能;最后,得出了潜器控制器设计的时间约束。现阶段整个系统已经开发成功,并投入运行到潜器控制系统的安装调试中。

精密1号装配机器人控制系统的体系结构

介绍了精密1号装配机器人控制系统体系结构的设计与实现。精密1号机器人是国家863计划智能机器人主题立项研制的一台SCARA结构的4轴装配机器人型号样机。它采用直接驱动技术，具有较高的运动速度和定位精度，配有高性能的视觉和力觉传感器，控制系统以Intel公司的iSBC386／12系列计算机和iRMXⅢ实时多任务操作系统为基础，采用上、下两级分布式计算机结构。控制系统除具有一般的机器人控制器的功能外，还具有用户多任务编程、可基于视觉和力觉传感器信息控制、离线编程和图形动画仿真等特性。

基于以太网技术的ARCNET数据采集系统设计

为了解决ARCNET网络与以太网不兼容的问题,针对目前ARCNET网络设备监控管理系统存在的缺陷,提出了一种基于嵌入式TCP/IP协议的ARCNET数据采集与传输系统。分析了该数据采集系统的原理与结构,给出了系统的硬件设计方案,完成了数据采集与传输的软件结构设计和嵌入式TCP/IP协议栈的建立。对系统的实时性、可靠性和应用效果等进行了测试,结果证明,系统使用方便,性能稳定,具有良好的实时性和可靠性,综合性能优于现有的ARCNET数据采集系统。