Musculoskeletal Humanoid Research Articles

実世界での環境接触動作に向けた人体模倣筋骨格ヒューマノイド腱悟郎の開発

We have developed human mimetic musculoskeletal humanoids from the view point of human-inspired design approach. Kengoro is our latest version of musculoskeletal humanoid and designed to achieve physically interactive actions in real world. This paper presents the design concepts, body characteristics and motion achievement of Kengoro. In the design process of Kengoro, we newly adopted multi-functioned skeletal structures and sensor-driver integrated muscle modules. For humanoids that have human-like body proportions, it is effective to add multi-functionality to body elements. The muscle module enables to control muscles flexibly for environmental contact. In order to demonstrate effectiveness of these body structures, we conducted several experiments by Kengoro.

終末強制回旋機構を備えた人体模倣膝機構の実装と筋骨格ヒューマノイドによる環境接触下における動作実現

終末強制回旋機構を備えた人体模倣膝機構の実装と筋骨格ヒューマノイドによる環境接触下における動作実現

3P1-F06 人体姿勢計測スーツを用いた筋骨格ヒューマノイドの膝回旋自由度操作による自動車運転動作の実現(ヒューマノイド(2))

Humanoid is designed based on human body configuration. We think it is effective and intuitive to make humanoid motion by using human motion data. Therefore, we developed IMU sensor suit to measure human motion for operating musculoskeletal humanoid which has human-like flexible and redundant joint structures. We integrated sensor data and made coordinate transformation to estimate human motions. As evaluation, we confirmed that the suit can measure human motions and make spine motion of Kenshiro. Moreover, we conducted a experiment to drive a car to show suit characteristics which can measure and operate rotational motion. As a result, we achieved driving a car by Kenshiro utilizing knee's yaw DOF to switch pedals. It showed effectiveness of humanoid operation by sensor suit.

3P1-G05 詳細人体模倣筋骨格ヒューマノイド「腱志郎」の前腕設計 : センサ内蔵直動アクチュエータの開発による橈骨・尺骨構造前腕(ヒューマノイド(2))

3P1-G05 詳細人体模倣筋骨格ヒューマノイド「腱志郎」の前腕設計 : センサ内蔵直動アクチュエータの開発による橈骨・尺骨構造前腕(ヒューマノイド(2))

1A1-C06 空気圧駆動筋骨格ヒューマノイドによる弾性を活用した跳躍動作のための足裏反力制御(ワイヤ駆動系の機構と制御)

The purpose of this study is constructing a foot reaction force control system to realize dynamic motions by a self-contained pneumatic-driven musculoskeletal humanoid. We aim at realization of jumping motion as one of dynamic motions by utilizing resonance. We constructed a foot reaction force control system, because foot force control can control center-of-mass motion. Center-of-mass motion is an important point to jump. We performed real world experiments in which. As the result, we got dead time of this system. And vibration amplitude of foot reaction force expanding was shown in the result of square-wave response.

2P1-A13 終末強制回旋機構を備えた筋骨格ヒューマノイドによる全身回旋動作の実現(ヒューマノイド)

2P1-A13 終末強制回旋機構を備えた筋骨格ヒューマノイドによる全身回旋動作の実現(ヒューマノイド)

Design Approach of Biologically-Inspired Musculoskeletal Humanoids

In order to realize more natural and various motions like humans, humanlike musculoskeletal tendon-driven humanoids have been studied. Especially, it is very challenging to design musculoskeletal body structure which consists of complicated bones, redundant powerful and flexible muscles, and large number of distributed sensors. In addition, it is very challenging to reveal humanlike intelligence to manage these complicated musculoskeletal body structure. This paper sums up life-sized musculoskeletal humanoids Kenta, Kotaro, Kenzoh and Kenshiro which we have developed so far, and describes key technologies to develop and control these robots.

Application of “Planar Muscle” with Soft Skin-Like Outer Function Suitable for Musculoskeletal Humanoid

In recent years, human-like robots have received a lot of attentions. A musculoskeletal humanoid is an effective approach for making a human-like robot, and many musculoskeletal humanoids have been developed. However, none have been equipped with really human-like bones and muscles, especially shapes and alignments. Formaking really human-like musculoskeletal humanoids, we thought of the “planar muscle” as the key. A planar muscle is an enhanced wiredriven system in which a motor winds a wire. In a prior system, one motor controlled one wire and the linear muscle needed one motor per wire and complex control systems. We therefore developed the planar muscle that controlled several wires simultaneously by using two moving pulley bars and one motor. The planar muscle is suited to musculoskeletal humanoids because they need a lot of motors and complex control systems in the case of using linear muscles. Furthermore, planar muscles are useful for soft skin-like outers that protect external shocks and sense touch. Using the planar muscles, we are developing a new musculoskeletal humanoid that has human-like bones and muscles. In this paper, we show the planarmuscle concept, especially its soft skin-like outer functions, and evaluate its motion with a body trunk model having multiple vertebrae that we developed.

1A1-K08 人体模倣筋骨格ヒューマノイド「腱志郎」の下腿設計 : 二関節筋を有する脚部機構による膝関節回旋動作の実現(ヒューマノイド(1))

In order to know human dynamics, humanoid as a human body simulator is increasing its importance. Such humanoid is expected to have human musculoskeletal structure as close as possible. From this viewpoint, we are trying to create new musculoskeletal humanoid which has detail human imitating structure, such as xi-articular muscle, joint structure and so on. In this paper, we address the design of lower thigh. The concepts of new thigh include leg configuration, new knee joint and artificial muscle arrangements. The knee joint has yaw axis DOF which is usually simplified in robotics. We think that knee joint flexibility is important to simulate human motions. Finally, we conduct three experiments of extension, flexion and rotation to confirm the joint characteristics.

1P1-S07 ヒトの計測データに基づく筋骨格系ロボットによる椅坐位からの起立動作の実現(バイオロボティクス)

1P1-S07 ヒトの計測データに基づく筋骨格系ロボットによる椅坐位からの起立動作の実現(バイオロボティクス)

2A1-I05 筋骨格ヒューマノイドの多節脊椎に適した面状筋構造の提案(ワイヤ駆動系の機構と制御)

For realizing a robot that can help people safely, a musculoskeletal humanoid is an efficient approach. However, it was very difficult to have multiple spine structure because the composition and control regulation were very complicated. Then, we set a goal of making a body trunk having a multiple spine structure like human. In this paper, we approach making "sheet muscles" suitable for multiple spine structure. "Sheet muscles" that move some wires for a motor by using some moving pulleys can realize easier structure and regulation for the body trunk of humanoids than previous "liner muscles" that move only one wire for one motor.

2P2-I05 背骨を有する腱駆動ヒューマノイドにおける身体環境協応による歩行行動の実現(ヒューマノイド)

Musculo-skeletal humanoid Kojiro we use in this paper has multi-degree-of-freedoms and is driven by tedious muscles. As a result, even if its body is restrained to the environment, various postures could be taken. Therefore, it could be stable by positively entrusting its body to the environment. On the other hand, standing posture becomes unstable because it is difficult to make joint-stiffness high and its structure is complex. In this paper, we focus on the environmental contact action and apply combining reflex systems and parameter decision method. In the beginning, we explain that instruction value could be modified by combining reflex systems and parameters suitable for the environment could be acquired by proposed parameters decision method. Finally, we achieve an ambulation activity with contact to the environment and show that this approach is suitable for musculo-skeletal humanoids.

Improvement of Performance for Musculoskeletal Robots by Mountable Actuator Units

It is very difficult to decide and to optimize the layouts of muscle which may completely fulfill the demands for muscle tension and joint stiffness of tendon driven systems at the design stage. However, muscle that can be easily added to the system depending on the situation makes it possible to seek optimal layouts of muscle through experimentation. This paper describes the development of two types of actuator units which can be easily added to the tendon-driven system. One is the regulable stiffness actuator unit which a nonlinear spring element is built into, and the other is an actuator unit which is smaller than actuator unit with regulable stiffness. To verify the effects of the actuator units on performance, we experiment with a musculoskeletal humanoid, Kojiro, to which the two types of actuator units developed are added.

2P1-C19 筋骨格ヒューマノイドの張力制御を利用した姿勢教示による物体拘束の獲得

Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid has a humanlike articular structure body and redundant actuators. Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid has advantage in touching objects by controlling its tendon tension flexibly. However, its own complex body structure makes it difficult to adjust humanoid's inner coordinate to real world coordinate. To solve the issue, we focused attention on the motion when human touch or trace objects. We apply a restrain condition estimation method using the musculo-skeletal humanoid's tension control to realize operating target objects. The aim of this paper is to show that Musculo-Skeletal Humanoid can generate motions associated with touching unknown objects by being taught poses.

2P1-D02 筋骨格多自由度ヒューマノイドにおける股関節出力増大のためのアクチュエータの配置に関する設計と開発

2P1-D02 筋骨格多自由度ヒューマノイドにおける股関節出力増大のためのアクチュエータの配置に関する設計と開発

0717 超多自由度筋骨格ヒューマノイドの身体構成法 : 小型脊椎ロボットから等身大ヒューマノイドまで(OS41:人間とヒューマノイドの関連を考える)

0717 超多自由度筋骨格ヒューマノイドの身体構成法 : 小型脊椎ロボットから等身大ヒューマノイドまで(OS41:人間とヒューマノイドの関連を考える)

2A2-B13 腱駆動関節における筋長-姿勢相対変位の非線形性に基づく筋配置推定法

Many tendon-driven systems have been developed to realize more natural and various motions, or to lighten the end of a robot arm. However, the control based on the geometrical model, one of control methods the main of recent, is not easy for tendon-driven robots because more information is necessary, for instance muscle layout etc. This paper describes a muscle layout estimation methods for tendon-driven robots. This method based on nonlinearity between relative displacement of muscle length and relative displacement of joint angle. Futhermore, the confirmatory experiment was done using the simulator and the real musculo-skeletal humanoid.

2A2-B11 筋骨格ヒューマノイドの全身に搭載可能な回転機構を用いた非線形ばねユニットの開発

2A2-B11 筋骨格ヒューマノイドの全身に搭載可能な回転機構を用いた非線形ばねユニットの開発

2A2-D19 空気圧人工筋骨格系全身型二足ロボットによる立位姿勢の安定化

2A2-D19 空気圧人工筋骨格系全身型二足ロボットによる立位姿勢の安定化

2P1-F02 非線形ばねを搭載した筋骨格ヒューマノイド小次郎前腕部の設計(ヒューマノイド)

We have been developping musculo-skeletal humanoid, which has viscoelastic element throughout the body. However, we weren't able to change the stiffness of joints because we have mainly used linear spring and silicon rubber as viscoelastic element. In this paper, we designed the forearm of musculo-skeletal humanoid 'kojiro'. By embedding nonlinear spring in the forearm, we enabled the joints of elbow and wrist to change its stiffness.