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Weeks 11-12: Humanoid Robot Development

Learning Objectives​

During these two weeks, students will focus specifically on the challenges and techniques unique to humanoid robot development, including kinematics, dynamics, locomotion, and human-robot interaction.

Topics Covered​

  • Humanoid robot kinematics and dynamics

    • Forward and inverse kinematics for humanoid robots
    • Dynamic modeling and control
    • Center of mass management

  • Bipedal locomotion and balance control

    • Walking gaits and stability
    • Balance control algorithms
    • Terrain adaptation

  • Manipulation and grasping with humanoid hands

    • Hand kinematics and dexterity
    • Grasp planning and execution
    • Object manipulation strategies

  • Natural human-robot interaction design

    • Social robotics principles
    • Gesture and expression
    • Safety considerations for human environments

Key Concepts​

Humanoid Robot Kinematics​

Humanoid robots present unique kinematic challenges:

  • Redundant manipulators: Multiple solutions for reaching a target
  • Whole-body coordination: Coordinating arms, legs, and torso
  • Kinematic constraints: Joint limits and collision avoidance
  • Task prioritization: Managing multiple simultaneous objectives

Bipedal Locomotion​

Walking on two legs requires sophisticated control:

  • Zero Moment Point (ZMP): Maintaining balance during walking
  • Capture Point: Predicting where to step to maintain balance
  • Walking patterns: Creating stable gait patterns
  • Disturbance rejection: Handling external forces and perturbations

Balance Control​

Humanoid robots must maintain balance in various conditions:

  • Feedback control: Using sensor data to maintain balance
  • Feedforward control: Anticipating balance requirements
  • Reactive stepping: Taking emergency steps when balance is lost
  • Ankle, hip, and stepping strategies: Different balance recovery methods

Human-Robot Interaction​

Humanoid robots must interact safely and naturally with humans:

  • Social conventions: Understanding human social behaviors
  • Safety protocols: Ensuring safe operation around humans
  • Communication: Non-verbal communication through movement and expression
  • Trust building: Creating robots that humans feel comfortable with

Practical Exercises​

  1. Implement inverse kinematics for a humanoid arm
  2. Simulate bipedal walking with balance control
  3. Create grasp planning for humanoid hands
  4. Design a human-robot interaction scenario
  5. Test humanoid behaviors in simulation

Assignments​

  1. Implement a humanoid walking controller
  2. Design a manipulation task for humanoid robots
  3. Create a human-robot interaction demonstration