Humanoid robots have the potential to mimic human motions with high visual fidelity, yet translating these motions into practical physical execution remains a significant challenge. Existing techniques in the graphics community often prioritize visual fidelity over physics-based feasibility, posing a significant challenge for deploying bipedal systems in practical applications. … [Read more...] about I-CTRL: Imitation to Control Humanoid Robots Through Bounded Residual Reinforcement Learning
Legged locomotion
Bridging the Reality Gap: Analyzing Sim-to-Real Transfer Techniques for Reinforcement Learning in Humanoid Bipedal Locomotion
Reinforcement learning (RL) offers a promising solution for controlling humanoid robots, particularly for bipedal locomotion, by learning adaptive and flexible control strategies. However, direct RL application is hindered by time-consuming trial-and-error processes, necessitating training in simulation before real-world transfer. This introduces a reality gap that degrades … [Read more...] about Bridging the Reality Gap: Analyzing Sim-to-Real Transfer Techniques for Reinforcement Learning in Humanoid Bipedal Locomotion
Motion Planning for Humanoid Locomotion: Applications to Homelike Environments
“What can your humanoid robot do?” is probably the most commonly asked question that we, as roboticists, have to answer when interacting with the general public. Often, the question is framed in the familiar household or office setting, with implied expectations of robust locomotion on uneven and cluttered terrain and compliant interaction with people, objects, and the … [Read more...] about Motion Planning for Humanoid Locomotion: Applications to Homelike Environments
Design and Control of the Humanoid Robot COMAN+: Hardware Capabilities and Software Implementations
Despite the prevalence of robots operating within controlled environments, such as industries, recent advancements in both autonomy and human–robot interaction have expanded the potential for their use within a diverse range of scenarios. Research efforts in humanoid robotics aim to develop platforms possessing the requisite versatility and dexterity to mimic human motion. This … [Read more...] about Design and Control of the Humanoid Robot COMAN+: Hardware Capabilities and Software Implementations
Terrain-Adaptive Locomotion Control for an Underwater Hexapod Robot: Sensing Leg–Terrain Interaction With Proprioceptive Sensors
An underwater hexapod robot, driven by six C-shaped legs and eight thrusters, has the potential to traverse diverse terrains with unknown deformable properties, which can lead to unknown leg–terrain interaction forces. However, it is hard to use exteroceptive sensors such as cameras and sonars to recognize these properties. Here we propose a method to perceive the interaction … [Read more...] about Terrain-Adaptive Locomotion Control for an Underwater Hexapod Robot: Sensing Leg–Terrain Interaction With Proprioceptive Sensors
