In this paper, we present, for the first time, a soft robot control system (SofToss) capable of throwing life-size objects toward target positions. SofToss is an open-loop controller based on deep reinforcement learning that generates, given the target position, an actuation pattern for the tossing task. To deal with the high non-linearity of the dynamics of soft robots, we … [Read more...] about SofToss: Learning to Throw Objects With a Soft Robot
Actuators
Finite Element Analysis-Based Soft Robotic Modeling: Simulating a Soft Actuator in SOFA
Soft robotics modeling is a research topic that is evolving fast. Many techniques are present in literature, but most of them require analytical models with a lot of equations that are time consuming, hard to resolve, and not so easy to handle. For this reason, the help of a soft mechanics simulator is essential in this field. This article presents a tutorial on how to build a … [Read more...] about Finite Element Analysis-Based Soft Robotic Modeling: Simulating a Soft Actuator in SOFA
Open Source Dual-Purpose Acrobot and Pendubot Platform: Benchmarking Control Algorithms for Underactuated Robotics
Recent interest in the control of underactuated robots has surged significantly due to the impressive athletic behaviors shown by robots developed by, e.g., Boston Dynamics ( https://www.bostondynamics.com ), Agility Robotics ( https://agilityrobotics.com/robots ), and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [1] . This gives rise to the need for canonical robotic hardware … [Read more...] about Open Source Dual-Purpose Acrobot and Pendubot Platform: Benchmarking Control Algorithms for Underactuated Robotics
Damping in Compliant Actuation: A Review
Compliant actuator technology aims at building robots capable of physically interacting with humans and the environment, matching the versatility and capacity of biological systems. Recently, it underwent a significant evolution with the introduction of damping to improve performance. Such development reflects several aspects, including energy saving and oscillation mitigation. … [Read more...] about Damping in Compliant Actuation: A Review
Benchmarking Torque Control Strategies for a Torsion-Based Series Elastic Actuator
The diversity in torque-controlled actuators has enabled researchers to address numerous physical human–robot interaction applications with enhanced safety, dependability, and interaction capability [1]. Yet, only a few torque-controlled actuators meet the challenging application requirements of mobility, improved torque/mass ratio, and structural integrability. To this end, … [Read more...] about Benchmarking Torque Control Strategies for a Torsion-Based Series Elastic Actuator
