Anthropomimetic Robots: Concept, Construction and Modelling

Abstract

An anthropomimetic robot is one that closely copies the mechanics of the human body by having a human-like jointed skeleton moved by compliant musclelike actuators. This paper describes the progress achieved in building anthropomimetic torsos in two projects, CRONOS and ECCEROBOT. In each, the bones were hand-moulded in a thermoplastic and the muscles were implemented by DC motors shortening and extending elastic tendons. Anthropomimetic robots differ from conventionally engineered robots by having complex joints and compliant tendon driven actuation that can cross more than one joint. Taken together, these characteristics make the robots unsuitable for control by standard methods, and so the ability to model them is important for developing heuristic methods of control and also for providing forward models. The robots were modelled using physics-based techniques which enable the study of the generation of movements and also of interactions with arbitrary objects. The lightweight and compliant structure of the robots was found to be safe for human proximity and contact.

Artificial ligamentous joints: Methods, materials and characteristics

“…"many joints are held together ... by ligaments or tough soft tissues which are almost impossible to duplicate" [4] This paper presents a method for making ligamentous articulations for robots, using 3D printing, tow laying and thermoplastic welding.…”

Robots with Internal Models: A Route to Self-Aware and Hence Safer Robots

“…For example, the internal modelling process for the complex anthropomimetic humanoid ECCE-Robot, using workstation grade computational hardware, ran at about one quarter of real-time (Diamond et al, 2012). Ideally we require an e cient internal modelling process that runs in the background, overriding the robot's next control action as and when necessary, yet with no perceptible interruption to the robot's normal operation.…”

Balance Analysis of the Mobile Anthropomimetic Robot Under Disturbances – ZMP Approach

“…By applying this structure, desirable mechanical compliance is achieved and human muscle and tendon are copied to a large degree of accuracy. Therefore, by following the anthropomimetic principle [2][3][4], ECCEROBOT is designed for the introduction and exploitation of a degree of selfconsciousness.…”

“…If robots incorporate the same mechanisms as humans, they will also be able to perform everyday tasks in the same environments and utilize the same tools without posing a larger threat, since they will have similar size, weight, force and dynamic properties. This new approach, in a strongly biological paradigm, has been developed over the past few years [2][3][4][5].…”