Robots Built on Bird Biomechanics Match up with the Big Dogs

Robotics  

ATRIAS, a robot designed to enter disaster zones, is based on the movement of birds, unlike some of its DARPA robotic cousins. Using a spring-mass system that makes it more agile and less prone to falling down when confronted with uneven terrain, ATRIAS hops and runs effectively.

Robots based on dogs have been a trend for DARPA projects in recent years, but the agency is also looking to other members of the animal kingdom for bioinspiration. ATRIAS is a new two-legged robot based on the biomechanics of birds and is able to step over obstacles and maintain its balance – even when it's being kicked.

Researchers at the Oregon State University (OSU) Dynamic Robotics Laboratory have showcased the latest in the ATRIAS series of robots, in a series of videos. The bird model has enabled the robot to overcome obstacles, a major step in the journey towards running around in the wild. Development of the ATRIAS (Assume the Robot Is a Sphere) line began in 2009.

ATRIAS is a prototype of the next generation of these disaster-response machines. ATRIAS can get off the ground and jog like a human. This ability to maneuver quickly and efficiently is ATRIAS’ primary goal, which shapes its unusual mechanical design.

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Robots don’t typically have such spindly legs, such tiny feet, or big springs attached to their motors. But those springs absorb and recycle energy that would be ordinarily lost with every step. The lightweight shins and thighs reduce shock loads when its legs swing and hit the ground. Like a high-end sports car, all of ATRIAS’ mechanisms are designed and tuned to cooperate with each other and enable maximum performance.

But also like a fast car, ATRIAS is hard to drive. The mathematics commonly used to control robotic walking just doesn’t work for ATRIAS. This means that researchers at the Dynamic Robotics Laboratory, in collaboration with Dr. Hartmut Geyer's laboratory at Carnegie Mellon, have been constantly inventing their own controllers to make ATRIAS go. Their goal: make ATRIAS walk, maneuver over obstacles, and run.

"When this robot gets up to speed for walking...it will be the fastest bipedal robot in the world."

According to the OSU project documentation, the ATRIAS series is “designed to test and demonstrate theoretical concepts for efficient and agile locomotion,” with the ultimate goal of “walking and running outside in rough terrain.” Researchers hope to accomplish this through the use of the “spring-mass” model of movement, which can allow robots to “both walk and run with remarkable energy economy.”

“When this robot gets up to speed for walking...it will be the fastest bipedal robot in the world,” Jonathan Hurst, an associate professor at the OSU College of Engineering, told reporters.

The legs on ATRIAS are made of lightweight carbon-fiber, mounted to elastic fiberglass springs that act both as a suspension and a means of mechanical energy storage, allowing the robot to run around on relatively low battery power.

There are two other ATRIAS robot operations in the US – at the University of Michigan and Carnegie Mellon University – but the OSU robot has captured all the media attention, partly because it has its own Twitter account.

My computerized twin's speeding up. BTW Anyone else get an uncanny valley vibe from these sims? #Unsettling #Robotics http://t.co/qiMbxCxHxV
— ATRIAS (@ATRIASrobot) March 17, 2015

A video of the robot surviving a barrage of dodgeballs was accompanied with a tweet: “The humans are just amusing themselves now. Not my favorite hobby, to be honest.”

Also, a test saw ATRIAS keep its balance while getting kicked. “Now I’m being kicked. Humans: Time to spread robot abuse awareness.”

According to the OSU robotics team, ATRIAS will appear for a live outdoor demonstration at the DARPA Robotics Challenge, scheduled for June 5-6 in Pomona, California.

SOURCE  OSU

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