David, anthropomorphic robot, Robotics and Mechatronics Center, Cologne, Germany

Demonstration of damping control and robustness of the anthropomorphic robot DLR Hand Arm System.

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The video, taken at Automatica 2014 Munich, demonstrates the execution of a two armed manipulation scenario. First, the object is localized using a combination of imagine processing and point cloud processing. The left arm drive to pick the object and the hand, equipped with two finger tactile sensors, detects the object and triggers the grasping process. The grasp is actively balanced by a controller that uses the measured contact forces (amplitude and direction). In a second step, the right arm is grabbing the object using a simple closing command. Thanks to the impedance controller, the fingers are conforming to the object.

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The video, taken at Automatica fair 2014 Munich, demonstrates the execution of a highly dynamical and precise hammering task. The robot grasps a stamping tool in its hands and perforates the DLR logo into a business card. This task requires high dynamics (hitting) and mechanical robustness (impacts). Both is achieved by the recent robotic technology of compliant actuators and novel control methodology exploiting these elasticities. A very fundamental inner control loop (bang-bang control) generates a modal oscillation exciting the intrinsic oscillatory dynamics of the plant. An outer low gain iterative learning control (ILC) adapts to the desired hitting points without dynamics parameter knowledge of the "complex" nonlinear plant. The overall approach is very robust from a control point of view, since only a kinematic model and measurements of the states at position level are considered in the feedback control.

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This Video shows the effectiveness of a novel control approach for motion tracking and damping assignment in compliantly
actuated robotic systems on an antropomorphic robot system, the DLR Hand Arm System, with highly nonlinear variable stiffness acuators.

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David (formerly Hand Arm System) is an anthropomorphic robot developed at DLR that features variable stiffness actuators (VSA) in all its joints. This demo shows David drilling into a block of concrete with a drill hammer. The built in VSA enhance Davids mechanical robustness against external impacts. This allows him to handle the impacts due to the drill hammering with relative ease.

The drilling task shown requires both, precise positioning of the tool center point and vibration damping.

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neoDavid is a Robust Humanoid with Dexterous Manipulation Skills, developed at DLR. The main focus in the development of neoDavid is to get as close to human capabilities as possible − especially in terms of dynamics, dexterity and robustness. The robot will operate in an environment designed for humans. neoDavid has a range of motion and size similar to that of a human. Its human-like shape enables easy operation and programming. All finger joints can be controlled individually, giving the system exceptional dexterity.

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