Précédent : Références Remonter : Avant-Projet BIP

Abstract

This project addresses major problems related to the design and control of legged robots, essentially of biped type. Concerning the more specific aspect of biped robots, studies are conducted on several topics: modelling of human locomotion, in order to select the pertinent variables to be used in the control and to offer new quantitative approaches to the community of biomechanics; theoretical study of impact effects; dynamical animation; simulation analysis of a compass-like robot (chaotic behaviours have been exhibited); control of a biped robot using the task function approach. The project has also an activity on sensor-based control, especially on visual servoing.

Another research issue concerns the computer aided design of robot controllers handling reactivity and real-time aspects. In that framework, problems of specification, programming and formal verification at the task level have been considered and validated on various examples.

Finally, let us mention that the physical realization of a 16 degrees-of-freedom biped system and of its controller, which would walk in a human-like way on plane terrains and stairs, is under progress. A leg prototype is expected by early 1997. Many of these researches are conducted in cooperation with other laboratories. Some industrial applications in medicine and sport are adressed through partnerships.