Thesis
Implementation and evaluation of neuromuscular controllers in robotic systems performing cooperative tasks with humans
Washington State University
Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
2008
Handle:
https://hdl.handle.net/2376/100891
Abstract
To date, the majority of research on Human-Robot interaction (HRI) has focused on the appearance and cognitive abilities of robots. This has led to the research and development of anthropomorphic, collaborative, gesture recognizing, and social robots behaving and interacting in humanoid fashion to improve HRI. However, this concept has not been extended to robots that physically feel like a human as was explored in this study. A neuromuscular controller was implemented in a robot performing a cooperative postural task with a human. The performance of the human in collaboration with the human-like robot was hypothesized to improve when compared to the performance of the human with the same robot controlled via a standard proportional-derivative (PD) controller by presenting a more intuitive interface. Team performance was tested with static and dynamic postural tasks designed to limit participation to intrinsic muscle and spinal reflex responses. The experimental setup demanded that the team support a load in a neutral position with both operators supported at the elbow and holding their forearms vertically. The static task evaluated the ability of the team to hold the load in the neutral position over a 30 second period, and the dynamic test observed the performance of the team returning to the neutral position after subjecting the load to an 8 Nm, 35 ms perturbation. Results of the static trial were significant (p=0.048) for the root mean squared (RMS) displacement metric, signifying less sway with the PD model when holding a posture. Dynamic test results, by contrast, showed significantly (p<0.01) improved performance with the human-like model for reducing the peak displacement of the load following a perturbation. The static performance measure of peak displacement, and the dynamic measures of settling time and settling error showed no statistically significant (p=0.05) differences between models. The results observed are in line with previously observed characteristics of human impedance as a compliant, heavily damped system. The human-like robot complimented these characteristics to provide a combined team performance that, while more compliant and therefore less accurate, is more robust to dynamic perturbations as would be experienced in uncontrolled environments.
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Details
- Title
- Implementation and evaluation of neuromuscular controllers in robotic systems performing cooperative tasks with humans
- Creators
- Danny Godbout
- Contributors
- David C. Lin (Degree Supervisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Washington State University
- Academic Unit
- Mechanical and Materials Engineering, School of
- Theses and Dissertations
- Master of Science (MS), Washington State University
- Publisher
- Washington State University; [Pullman, Washington] :
- Identifiers
- 99900525276401842
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Thesis