• 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.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.733-740
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• 2016

To achieve bipedal walking in real human environments, a bipedal robot should be capable of modifiable walking both on uneven terrain with different heights and on flat terrain. In this paper, a novel walking pattern generator based on a 3-D linear inverted pendulum model (LIPM) is proposed to achieve this objective. By adopting a zero moment point (ZMP) variation scheme in real time, it is possible to change the center-of-mass (COM) position and the velocity of the 3-D LIPM throughout the single support phase. Consequently, the proposed method offers the ability to generate a modifiable pattern for walking on uneven terrain without the necessity for any extra footsteps to adjust the COM motion. In addition, a control strategy for bipedal walking on uneven terrain with unknown height is developed. The torques and ground reaction force are measured through force-sensing resisters (FSRs) on each foot and the foot of the robot is modeled as three virtual spring-damper models for the disturbance compensation. The methods for generating the foot and vertical COM of 3-D LIPM trajectories are proposed to achieve modifiable bipedal walking on uneven terrain without any information regarding the height of the terrain. The effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed through dynamic simulations.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.2368-2375
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• 2015

To accommodate various navigational commands, a humanoid should be able to change its walking motion in real time. Using the modifiable walking pattern generation (MWPG) algorithm, a humanoid can handle dynamic walking commands by changing its walking period, step length, and direction independently. If the humanoid is given a command to perform an infeasible movement, the algorithm substitutes the infeasible command with a feasible one using binary search. The feasible navigational command is subsequently translated into the desired center-of-mass (CM) state. Every sample time CM reference is generated using a zero-moment-point (ZMP) variation scheme. Based on this algorithm, various complex walking patterns can be generated, including backward and sideways walking, without detailed consideration of the feasibility of the navigational commands. In a previous study, the effectiveness of the MWPG algorithm was verified by dynamic simulation. This paper presents experimental results obtained using the small-sized humanoid robot platform DARwIn-OP.

• 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.10 no.5
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• pp.2142-2148
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• 2015

This paper proposes novel real-time footstep planning and following methods for the navigation of humanoid robots. A footstep command is defined by a walking direction and step lengths for footstep planning. The walking direction is determined by a uni-vector field navigation method, and the allowable yawing range caused by hardware limitation is considered. The lateral step length is determined to avoid collisions between the two legs while walking. The sagittal step length is modified by a binary search algorithm when collision occurs between the robot body and obstacles in a narrow space. If the robot body still collides with obstacles despite the modification of the sagittal step length, the lateral step length is shifted at the next footstep. For footstep following, a walking pattern generator based on a 3-D linear inverted pendulum model is utilized, which can generate modifiable walking patterns using the zero-moment point variation scheme. Therefore, it enables a humanoid robot to follow the footstep command planned for each footstep. The effectiveness of the proposed method is verified through simulation and experiment.

• 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.