Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Carleton University
$117,804.00
Experimental platform for biorobotic and assistive locomotion systems
FY 2008-09
Summary
The present proposal is prepared in connection with a concurrent Discovery Grant application to initiate and support a research program on high performance biorobotics and assistive devices. Efficiency is crucial for the success of legged robots performing real-life autonomous tasks. A concurrent optimal design and control strategy to exploit passive dynamic motions will be used to achieve efficient and stable gaits for walking and running for a single platform. Novel force and impedance control strategies, treating the locomotion as a cooperative task, optimal control of the redundancy of the posture in stance, learning and adaptive controllers, and establishing new measures for dynamic stability of locomotion are some of the main technical goals of this research. As its application to rehabilitation, this research also aims at conceptualizing, developing, and controlling low-weight wearable assistive devices to help people with walking difficulties. The results promise an impact the life of many Canadians, particularly elderly. While simulation is the first step in validating new ideas in legged robotics, they are prone to errors due to the impact forces in locomotion and lack of accurate contact models; therefore, an experimental platform as proposed is the most useful tool for this research. The equipment requested provide for a biped robotic system, as well as a generic control system infrastructure that can be used with this robot or any other robot or system. Moreover, a single degree of freedom wearable assistive device for the knee joint, as planned to be prototyped through this research program at Carleton University, will utilize the same control infrastructure. The proposed equipment, in addition to giving rise to a unique research program in Canada, can immediately support a number of collaborations with the Ottawa Hospital's Rehabilitation Research Centre on wearable assistive devices for elderly, with Biomedical Signals Processing Lab at Carleton on human motion analysis and biofeedback using surface muscle EMG (electromyograms), and with Applied Dynamics Group at Carleton on human postural stability measurement and analysis on ship boards under extreme weather conditions.
Program
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
359072-2008
Name nom
Ahmadi, Mojtaba
Department département
Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering
Organization id
23
Institution établissement
Carleton University
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2008
Competition year année de concours
2008
Award amount
117804
Program id
EQPEQ
Program nane en
Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)
Program name fr
Outils et instruments de recherche - catégorie 1 (<150 000$)
Group en
Discovery grants programs
Group fr
Programmes de subventions à la découverte
Committee code
1053
Committee name en
Mechanical Engineering - A
Committee name fr
Génie mécanique - A
Area of application code
1206
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Engineering
Area of application fr
Génie
Research subject code
2600
Research subject group en
Robotics
Research subject group fr
Robotique
Research subject en
Robotics
Research subject fr
Robotique
Partie
1
Nb partie
1
Application title
Experimental platform for biorobotic and assistive locomotion systems
Keyword
NA
Application summary
The present proposal is prepared in connection with a concurrent Discovery Grant application to initiate and support a research program on high performance biorobotics and assistive devices. Efficiency is crucial for the success of legged robots performing real-life autonomous tasks. A concurrent optimal design and control strategy to exploit passive dynamic motions will be used to achieve efficient and stable gaits for walking and running for a single platform. Novel force and impedance control strategies, treating the locomotion as a cooperative task, optimal control of the redundancy of the posture in stance, learning and adaptive controllers, and establishing new measures for dynamic stability of locomotion are some of the main technical goals of this research. As its application to rehabilitation, this research also aims at conceptualizing, developing, and controlling low-weight wearable assistive devices to help people with walking difficulties. The results promise an impact the life of many Canadians, particularly elderly. While simulation is the first step in validating new ideas in legged robotics, they are prone to errors due to the impact forces in locomotion and lack of accurate contact models; therefore, an experimental platform as proposed is the most useful tool for this research. The equipment requested provide for a biped robotic system, as well as a generic control system infrastructure that can be used with this robot or any other robot or system. Moreover, a single degree of freedom wearable assistive device for the knee joint, as planned to be prototyped through this research program at Carleton University, will utilize the same control infrastructure. The proposed equipment, in addition to giving rise to a unique research program in Canada, can immediately support a number of collaborations with the Ottawa Hospital's Rehabilitation Research Centre on wearable assistive devices for elderly, with Biomedical Signals Processing Lab at Carleton on human motion analysis and biofeedback using surface muscle EMG (electromyograms), and with Applied Dynamics Group at Carleton on human postural stability measurement and analysis on ship boards under extreme weather conditions.
