Thesis Defense – Erim Can Özçınar (MSME)

Erim Can Özçınar – M.Sc. Mechanical Engineering

Asst. Prof. Barkan Uğurlu – Advisor

Date: 27.12.2022

Time: 15:00

Location: AB4 B428

“Robust Locomotion Control for a Quadruped Robot with High Payload Capacity”

Asst. Prof. Barkan Uğurlu, Özyeğin University

Asst. Prof. Özkan Bebek, Özyeğin University

Prof. Dr. Duygun Erol Barkana, Yeditepe University

Abstract:

This thesis presents a robust locomotion control framework for a quadruped robot. The locomotion control framework is composed of trajectory planning and CTC. The trajectory planning algorithm based on the ZMP concept generates dynamically balanced locomotion and CTC method is implemented for the robot to follow generated trajectories. To implement the CTC, the inverse dynamic model of the robot is constructed through the recursive Newton-Euler method. Additionally, the capture point method is implemented for the robot to preserve its balance against external forces. This method computes the capture point and generates a trajectory for the robot to step in order to preserve its balance. Furthermore, a method is proposed to distribute contact forces for the purpose of eliminating undesired torso orientation fluctuations and regulating heading during dynamic quadruped trot-walking motion. The proposed method makes use of centroidal momentum, an important physical quantity in characterizing the whole-body behavior and overall balance of the robot. The contact forces are computed by means of centroidal momentum feedback and injected into the locomotion controller via Virtual Model Control (VMC) which can render virtual forces to regulate robot-environment interaction. Proposed controllers are validated by conducting walking experiments in both the simulation environment and the robot. Moreover, the endurance and the payload capacity of the robot are validated through an endurance test and high-payload walking experiment.

Bio:

Erim Can Özçınar had taken high school education in Marmara Collage. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering at Ozyegin University in 2019. He had worked as an undergraduate research student at OzU Biomechatronics Laboratory for one year with Asst. Prof. Barkan Uğurlu. He is an M.Sc. Student in Özyeğin University under the supervision of Assist. Prof. Barkan Uğurlu. He is studying control systems, robust locomotion control, dynamic modeling, and robotics.