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A framework for musculoskeletal robot development

Project description


Cognitive Systems and Robotics

Musculoskeletal robotic systems enhance safety, dexterity and adaptivity in uncertain environments, especially in situations where human and robot work in close proximity. A musculoskeletal design allows reducing body weight and developmental cost, while at the same time increasing design flexibility. The MYOROBOTICS project aims to improve the quality and reliability of the hardware involved and to make musculoskeletal robots readily available to researchers working in robotics and other domains (e.g. cognition, neuroscience), educators and the industry. The approach taken utilizes a modular design, involving components that can be easily interconnected in different ways to achieve required forms and functionality. These components will be mass-producible and reproducible, improving cost-effectiveness and facilitating the transition to the market.

Compliant, musculoskeletal robotic systems offer several advantages, especially in situations where human and robot work in close proximity. A musculoskeletal design takes inspiration from the mechanics of the human body. It makes extensive use of viscous-elastic materials to emulate the muscles and tendons which enhance safety, dexterity and adaptivity in uncertain environments. It also allows reducing body weight and developmental cost, while at the same time increasing design flexibility.
Although there are several research platforms available that employ this design, current systems utilize custom-made, complex hardware and software, which inhibits their use beyond robotics research in academic settings. In fact, most of these systems are custom designed and built by one research group and, as a result, are seldom in use by people other than the initial developers.
The MYOROBOTICS project aims to improve the quality and reliability of the hardware involved and to make musculoskeletal robots readily available to researchers working in robotics and other domains (e.g. cognition, neuroscience), educators and the industry. The approach taken utilizes a modular design, involving components that can be easily interconnected in different ways to achieve required forms and functionality. These components will be mass-producible and reproducible (leveraging rapid prototyping techniques), improving cost-effectiveness and facilitating the transition to the market. A software toolchain will be made available that will allow the assembly of a virtual musculoskeletal robot, the definition of control algorithms and high-level behaviours, the optimization of the controller's performance and the simulation of its interaction with the environment. Three different control schemes will be developed that will target the individual muscles, the joints and the entire body, respectively.
All the aforementioned components, both software and hardware (the latter as CAD designs, board schematics and part lists) will be bundled in the MYOROBOTICS toolkit that will be made available as open-source to the community at large.

Fields of science

Programme(s)

Topic(s)

Call for proposal

FP7-ICT-2011-7
See other projects for this call

Funding Scheme

CP - Collaborative project (generic)

Coordinator

TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN
Address
Arcisstrasse 21
80333 Muenchen
Germany

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Region
Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Administrative Contact
Konstantinos Dalamagkidis (Dr.)
Links
EU contribution
No data

Participants (4)

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Last update: 21 April 2017

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Permalink: https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/288219

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