Autonomy Talks - Marko Bjelonic: Planning and Control for Hybrid Locomotion of Wheeled-Legged Robots

Autonomy Talks - 21/04/2021

Speaker: Marko Bjelonic, Robotic Systems Lab, ETH Zürich

Title: Planning and Control for Hybrid Locomotion of Wheeled-Legged Robots

Abstract: This talk presents an optimization-based framework to perform complex and dynamic locomotion strategies for robots with legs and wheels. In particular, we perform novel maneuvers, which exploit the roller-walking robot’s full capabilities over challenging ob- stacles. By combining innovative techniques in motion control and planning, this work reveals the full potential of wheeled-legged robots and their superiority compared to their legged counterparts. Its locomotion planning algorithms that rely on trajectory opti- mization (TO) and model predictive control (MPC) algorithms optimizing the robot’s whole-body trajectory over a receding horizon. We propose a novel whole-body MPC as a single task formulation that simultaneously optimizes wheel and torso motions. This approach accurately predicts the robot’s motion and automatically discovers complex and dynamic movements cumbersome to hand-craft through ehuristics. Finding more complex motions over challenging obstacles and at the robot’s limits can be achieved through TO methods, optimizing computational-expensive variables like gait timings and considering high-dimensional Centroidal models. By combining offline TO for complex motions and online MPC for continuous optimization along the offline trajectory, we can execute novel maneuvers, including fast motions over challenging obstacles, unique motions through confined spaces, dynamic motions at the robot’s limits, and artistic dance moves.

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