• ETRI Journal
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.446-457
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• 2018

Robot navigation allows robot mobility. Therefore, mobility is an area of robotics that has been actively investigated since robots were first developed. In recent years, interest in personal service robots for homes and public facilities has increased. As a result, robot navigation within the home environment, which is an indoor environment, is being actively investigated. However, the problem with conventional navigation algorithms is that they require a large computation time for their building mapping and path planning processes. This problem makes it difficult to cope with an environment that changes in real-time. Therefore, we propose a humanoid robot navigation algorithm consisting of an image processing and optimization algorithm. This algorithm realizes navigation with less computation time than conventional navigation algorithms using map building and path planning processes, and can cope with an environment that changes in real-time.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Intelligent Systems
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2013

This paper presents a model of bipedal leg mechanism with a compliant foot, and the contact repulsion of the foot for a typical walking pattern and its influence on the knee and hip joints of the leg will be analyzed. This analysis is useful for us to figure out the physical impact of the foot when a walking robot takes a step. Also it can be applied to determine the joint specification of the leg mechanism. As a result, it is shown that the compliance characteristics of a robotic foot can contribute to alleviate the joint torques of the leg affected by the contact repulsion of the foot.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.963-968
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• 2010

This paper handles ZMP based control that is inspired by neural networks for humanoid robot walking on varying sloped surfaces. Humanoid robots are currently one of the most exciting research topics in the field of robotics, and maintaining stability while they are standing, walking or moving is a key concern. To ensure a steady and smooth walking gait of such robots, a feedforward type of neural network architecture, trained by the back propagation algorithm is employed. The inputs and outputs of the neural network architecture are the ZMPx and ZMPy errors of the robot, and the x, y positions of the robot, respectively. The neural network developed allows the controller to generate the desired balance of the robot positions, resulting in a steady gait for the robot as it moves around on a flat floor, and when it is descending slope. In this paper, experiments of humanoid robot walking are carried out, in which the actual position data from a prototype robot are measured in real time situations, and fed into a neural network inspired controller designed for stable bipedal walking.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1029-1036
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• 2011

An energy-efficient reference walking trajectory generation algorithm is suggested utilizing allowable ZMP (Zero-Moment-Point) region, which maxmizes the energy efficiency for cyclic gaits, based on three-dimensional LIPM (Linear Inverted Pendulum Model) for biped robots. As observed in natural human walking, variable ZMP manipulation is suggested, in which ZMP moves within the allowable region to reduce the joint stress (i.e., rapid acceleration and deceleration of body), and hence to reduce the consumed energy. In addition, opimization of footstep planning is conducted to decide the optimal step-length and body height for a given forward mean velocity to minimize a suitable energy performance - amount of energy required to carry a unit weight a unit distance. In this planning, in order to ensure physically realizable walking trajectory, we also considered geometrical constraints, ZMP stability condition, friction constraint, and yawing moment constraint. Simulations are performed with a 12-DOF 3D biped robot model to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.751-758
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• 2016

The modifiable walking pattern generation (MWPG) algorithm can handle dynamic walking commands by changing the walking period, step length, and direction independently. When an infeasible command is given, the algorithm changes the command to a feasible one. After the feasibility of the navigational command is checked, it is translated into the desired center of mass (CM) state. To achieve the desired CM state, a reference CM trajectory is generated using predefined zero moment point (ZMP) functions. Based on the proposed algorithm, various complex walking patterns were generated, including backward and sideways walking. The effectiveness of the patterns was verified in dynamic simulations using the Webots simulator.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.344-351
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• 2014

In order to accomplish complex navigational commands, humanoid robot should be able to modify its walking period, step length and direction independently. In this paper, a novel walking pattern generation algorithm is proposed to satisfy these requirements. Modification of the walking pattern can be considered as a transition between two periodic walking patterns, which follows each navigational command. By assuming the robot as a linear inverted pendulum, the equations of motion between ZMP(Zero Moment Point) and CM(Center of Mass) state is easily derived and analyzed. After navigational command is translated into the desired CM state, corresponding CM motion is generated to achieve the desired state by using simple ZMP functions. Moreover, when the command is not feasible, feasible command is alternated by using binary search algorithm. Subsequently, corresponding CM motion is generated. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by computer simulation.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.1787-1792
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• 2016

Previous walking pattern generation methods could generate walking patterns that allow only straight walking on flat and uneven terrain. They were unable to generate modifiable walking patterns whereby the sagittal and lateral step lengths and walking direction can be changed at every footstep. This paper proposes a novel walking pattern generation method to realize modifiable walking of humanoid robots on unknown uneven terrain. The proposed method employs a walking pattern generator based on the 3-D linear inverted pendulum model (LIPM), which enables a humanoid robot to vary its walking patterns at every footstep. A control strategy for walking on unknown uneven terrain is proposed. Virtual spring-damper (VSD) models are used to compensate for the disturbances that occur between the robot and the terrain when the robot walks on uneven terrain with unknown height. In addition, methods for generating the foot and vertical center of mass (COM) of the 3-D LIPM trajectories are developed to realize stable walking on unknown uneven terrain. The proposed method is implemented on a small-sized humanoid robot platform, DARwIn-OP and its effectiveness is demonstrated experimentally.

• The Journal of Korea Institute of Information, Electronics, and Communication Technology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.400-405
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• 2023

Currently, inverted pendulums are being studied in many fields, including posture control of missiles, rockets, etc, and bipedal robots. In this study, the vertical posture control of the pendulum was studied by constructing a rotary inverted pendulum using a 256-pulse rotary encoder and a DC motor. In the case of nonlinear systems, complex algorithms and controllers are required, but a control method using the classic and relatively simple PID(Proportional Integral Derivation) algorithm was applied to the rotating inverted pendulum system, and a simple but desired method was studied. The rotating inverted pendulum system used in this study is a nonlinear and unstable system, and a PID controller using Microchip's dsPIC30F4013 embedded processor was designed and implemented in linear modeling. Usually, PID controllers are designed by combining one or two or more types, and have the advantage of having a simple structure compared to excellent control performance and that control gain adjustment is relatively easy compared to other controllers. In this study, the physical structure of the system was analyzed using mathematical methods and control for vertical balance of a rotating inverted pendulum was realized through modeling. In addition, the feasibility of controlling with a PID controller using a rotating inverted pendulum was verified through simulation and experiment.