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Do you want to work on a humanoid robot?

This is your opportunity to:

  • Perform ground breaking research
  • Collaborate with world class researchers
  • Work in a multidisciplinary team

You can work with Dutch Robotics just for fun or incorporate it in your curriculum as a (MSc) project.

What could you do?

Electronics: Let the robot store mechanical energy

Currently, when decelerating a joint, the mechanical energy is converted by the DC motors into electrical energy which cannot go anywhere. The result is an over-voltage on the digital motor amplifiers which shut down to protect themselves. Our first solution, a shunt circuit, leaked the energy through a resistor. The amount of energy was so large that this sub-system fried itself, and leaking is a waste of energy anyway. Your task is to find an extremely small and lightweight solution to put the energy back into the Lithium Polymer batteries.

Software: Create integrated off-board suite

Currently, the communication between our laptops and the (Linux Xenomai) robot goes through ssh and command-line commands. We have some utilities, e.g. one for controlling and testing the motors and one for real-time visualizing the joint angles. Your task is to create an integrated expandable software suite for all communications between the control engineers and the robot. Use good utils when available, otherwise write your own.

Software: Build software architecture for reliable motion control

We have developed a software architecture for the control of the robot. This architecture allows the integration of state machines, PD controls, and other control loops (e.g. force control). It should also allow other types of controllers, such as neural networks or reinforcement learning, topics of active research in the Delft Biorobotics Lab. Your task is to obtain a full overview of the current architecture and to bring it from its current prototype state to a reliable product. You will become one of the main architects of the soccer robot.

Software: Create fast and robust vision

The robot has two cameras each connected to an ARM9 processor for the low-level image processing. Stereo vision algorithms can run on the main computer (1GHz PC104 board) which also takes care of motion control. Your task is to make optimal use of the processor power, to build on existing software (in our lab and in related universities) and eventually to give the robot the ability to see!

Mechanics: Lower leg redesign

Currently the robot is able to move its ankles in two directions. This is done by one motor positioned on the lower leg and a motor located in its upper body which pulls the heel (like an achilles tendon). This artificial achilles tendon introduces a lot of problems in controlling the foot. Therefore a redesign of the lower leg is needed where both of the actuators should be positioned on the lower leg. All of this should not cost any extra weight...

Mechanics: Design of a new SEA mechanism

The different limbs of the robot are actuated by Series Elastic Actuation (SEA). The basic idea behind this principle is that there is an elastic element between the motor and the joint. By measuring the deformation of this element the torque on the joint can be calculated and controlled. In TUlip we use cables with springs between the motor and the joint, by using two incremental encoders (one on the motor and one on the joint) we can calculate the elongation of the spring. From this elongation the force in the cable and thus the torque on the joint can be calculated. Currently the mechanism with cables and extension springs give us a lot of problems; they break down, require a lot of space and are hard to assemble. That's why we need a new
kind of SEA mechanism.

Mechanics/Electronics: Quick battery swap system

Currently, it takes a skilled person a few minutes to change batteries. In the heat of a match, this is desastrous, especially because the robot has to turn off and reboot after the swap. Your task is to create an easy way of swapping batteries, and to make it hot-swappable.

Non-technical

A project as this doesn't work if the non-technical tasks wouldn't be done. You could be the one to help us in the field of sponsorship, recruitment, promotion and website maintenance.

 

Interested?