System Identification of Thrust and Torque Characteristics for a Bipedal Robot with Integrated Propulsion

Abstract

Bipedal robots represent a remarkable and sophisticated class of robotics, designed to emulate human form and movement. Their development marks a significant milestone in the field. However, even the most advanced bipedal robots face challenges related to terrain variation, obstacle negotiation, payload management, weight distribution, and recovering from stumbles. These challenges can be mitigated by incorporating thrusters, which enhance stability on uneven terrain, facilitate obstacle avoidance, and improve recovery after stumbling. Harpy is a bipedal robot equipped with six joints and two thrusters, serving as a hardware platform for implementing and testing advanced control algorithms. This thesis focuses on characterizing Harpy's hardware to improve the system's overall robustness, controllability, and predictability. It also examines simulation results for predicting thrust in propeller-based mechanisms, the integration of thrusters into the Harpy platform and associated testing, as well as an exploration of motor torque characterization methods and their application to hardware in relation to closed-loop force-based impedance control.