Boston Dynamics, Inc.

Google Inc.

Benjamin Stephens

Marco Da Silva

Kevin Blankespoor

Yeuhi Abe

Alfred Anthony Rizzi

Gabriel Nelson

Nicolas Hudson

Jennifer Barry

Robin Deits

Twan Koolen

Matthew P Kelly

Scott Kuindersma

A robotic device includes a control system. The control system receives a first measurement indicative of a first distance between a center of mass of the machine and a first position in which a first leg of the machine last made initial contact with a surface. The control system also receives a second measurement indicative of a second distance between the center of mass of the machine and a second position in which the first leg of the machine was last raised from the surface. The control system further determines a third position in which to place a second leg of the machine based on the received first measurement and the received second measurement. Additionally, the control system provides instructions to move the second leg of the machine to the determined third position.

Generalized coordinate surrogates for integrated estimation and control

An example implementation for determining mechanically-timed footsteps may involve a robot having a first foot in contact with a ground surface and a second foot not in contact with the ground surface. The robot may determine a position of its center of mass and center of mass velocity, and based on these, determine a capture point for the robot. The robot may also determine a threshold position for the capture point, where the threshold position is based on a target trajectory for the capture point after the second foot contacts the ground surface. The robot may determine that the capture point has reached this threshold position and based on this determination, and cause the second foot to contact the ground surface.

Mechanically-timed footsteps for a robotic device

Systems and methods for determining movement of a robot about an environment are provided. A computing system of the robot (i) receives information including a navigation target for the robot and a kinematic state of the robot; (ii) determines, based on the information and a trajectory target for the robot, a retargeted trajectory for the robot; (iii) determines, based on the retargeted trajectory, a centroidal trajectory for the robot and a kinematic trajectory for the robot consistent with the centroidal trajectory; and (iv) determines, based on the centroidal trajectory and the kinematic trajectory, a set of vectors having a vector for each of one or more joints of the robot.

Robot movement and online trajectory optimization

A robot system includes: an upper body section including one or more end-effectors; a lower body section including one or more legs; and an intermediate body section coupling the upper and lower body sections. An upper body control system operates at least one of the end-effectors. The intermediate body section experiences a first intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on an end-effector force acting on the at least one end-effector. A lower body control system operates the one or more legs. The one or more legs experience respective surface reaction forces. The intermediate body section experiences a second intermediate body linear force and/or moment based on the surface reaction forces. The lower body control system operates the one or more legs so that the second intermediate body linear force balances the first intermediate linear force and the second intermediate body moment balances the first intermediate body moment.

Whole body manipulation on a legged robot using dynamic balance

An example method may include i) detecting a disturbance to a gait of a robot, where the gait includes a swing state and a step down state, the swing state including a target swing trajectory for a foot of the robot, and where the target swing trajectory includes a beginning and an end; and ii) based on the detected disturbance, causing the foot of the robot to enter the step down state before the foot reaches the end of the target swing trajectory.

Handling gait disturbances with asynchronous timing

A computing system may provide a model of a robot. The model may be configured to determine simulated motions of the robot based on sets of control parameters. The computing system may also operate the model with multiple sets of control parameters to simulate respective motions of the robot. The computing system may further determine respective scores for each respective simulated motion of the robot, wherein the respective scores are based on constraints associated with each limb of the robot and a predetermined goal. The constraints include actuator constraints and joint constraints for limbs of the robot. Additionally, the computing system may select, based on the respective scores, a set of control parameters associated with a particular score. Further, the computing system may modify a behavior of the robot based on the selected set of control parameters to perform a coordinated exertion of forces by actuators of the robot.

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Somerville, MA, United States of America

Benjamin Stephens