Project description
Designing robot agility based on human locomotion
Navigating complex terrains is a challenge for robots, despite the ease with which humans and animals do it. This stark contrast is due to the sophisticated neuromusculoskeletal systems in living beings, which allow for rapid adaptation to unexpected obstacles. With the support of the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the AgileSim project is tackling this problem by investigating the interplay between muscle mechanics and sensory feedback in agile locomotion. By combining experimental data with physics-based simulations, AgileSim aims to uncover how these mechanisms work together to maintain stability. The project’s insights could lead to improved treatments for neurological disorders and inspire the design of more advanced legged robots and prosthetics.
Objective
Humans and animals navigate complex terrain seemingly effortless. This is in stark contrast with even the most performant robots, illustrating that walking over complex terrains is by no means trivial. Our neuromusculoskeletal system is equipped with mechanisms that allow us to recover from unexpected perturbations. Two key mechanisms are muscle intrinsic mechanics and sensory-driven feedback control. Immediate changes in muscle force upon a perturbation allow the body to respond fast to sudden perturbations through quick-acting muscle mechanical responses. Feedback responses, slower due to transmission delays, are also critical to stability as they are more flexible whereas muscle mechanical responses are determined by feedforward control and muscle properties. We do not yet know how these pathways interact to help us maintain agility and robustness, in the presence of external perturbations, or in the case of sensory loss. I aim to gain novel insights into how muscle mechanics and sensory feedback allow agile locomotion across conditions. I will unravel fundamental principles governing relative contributions of these mechanisms, using a blended experimental- and computational approach. I already collected a unique experimental dataset that I will combine with physics-based simulations. I will use novel approaches to predict locomotion patterns and feedforward and feedback control by optimizing performance criteria in presence of sensorimotor noise without relying on experimental data. Validation of simulation to experimental data allows us to evaluate which performance criteria and muscle properties drive observed interactions between muscle mechanics tuned by feedforward and feedback control. As many neurological disorders impair stable locomotion, fundamental insights obtained through my project have potential to inform treatments. Lastly, novel insights in locomotor neuromechanics inspires designs of legged robots and prosthetics to assist during locomotion.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
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CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2023-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
3000 Leuven
Belgium
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.