Walking VTOL vehicles and related systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system can include one or more vertical thrust propulsion systems for providing vertical thrust for the vehicle, one or more horizontal thrust propulsion systems for providing horizontal thrust for the vehicle, and leg elements that are rotatable between a first configuration in which each leg element extends downwardly and a second configuration different from the first configuration. A representative method of operating a vehicle includes using vertical thrust to raise the vehicle upward, rotating a leg element forward, lowering the vehicle, and then rotating the leg element rearward to propel the vehicle forward.

Walking VTOL vehicles and related systems and methods are disclosed. A representative system can include one or more vertical thrust propulsion systems for providing vertical thrust for the vehicle, one or more horizontal thrust propulsion systems for providing horizontal thrust for the vehicle, and leg elements that are rotatable between a first configuration in which each leg element extends downwardly and a second configuration different from the first configuration. A representative method of operating a vehicle includes using vertical thrust to raise the vehicle upward, rotating a leg element forward, lowering the vehicle, and then rotating the leg element rearward to propel the vehicle forward.

The present disclosure provides a foot-waist coordinated gait planning method and an apparatus and a robot using the same. The method includes: obtaining an orientation of each foot of the legged robot, and calculating a positional compensation amount of each ankle of the legged robot based on the orientation of the foot; obtaining an orientation of a waist of the legged robot, and calculating a positional compensation amount of each hip of the legged robot based on the orientation of the waist; calculating a hip-ankle positional vector of the legged robot; compensating the hip-ankle positional vector based on the positional compensation amount of the ankle and the positional compensation amount of the hip to obtain the compensated hip-ankle positional vector; and performing an inverse kinematics analysis on the compensated hip-ankle positional vector to obtain joint angles of the legged robot.

A robot control method includes: obtaining force information associated with feet of the robot; calculating a zero moment point of a COM of a body of the robot based on the force information; updating a position trajectory of the robot according to the zero moment point of the COM of the body to obtain an updated position of the COM of the body; obtaining posture information of the robot; updating a posture trajectory of the robot according to the posture information to obtain an updated pose angle; performing inverse kinematics analysis on the updated position of the COM of the body and the updated pose angle to obtain joint angles of legs of the robot; and controlling the robot to move according to the joint angles.

Provided is an information processing apparatus that processes information regarding a path of a mobile robot.

The information processing apparatus includes a management section that manages path information for each path, the path information including postural stability information acquired when the mobile robot traverses the path. The postural stability information includes at least one of a variance of a position of center of gravity or a postural variance acquired during travel of the mobile robot in the path. Also, the postural stability information includes a CoP control quantity that includes a deviation between a target CoP and an actual measured value of the mobile robot whose walking is controlled on the basis of a ZMP. Also, the postural stability information further includes a landing position correction quantity that includes an error between a planned floor touching point and an actual measured value of the mobile robot that walks with multiple legs.

Provided is an information processing apparatus that processes information regarding a path of a mobile robot.

The information processing apparatus includes a management section that manages path information for each path, the path information including postural stability information acquired when the mobile robot traverses the path. The postural stability information includes at least one of a variance of a position of center of gravity or a postural variance acquired during travel of the mobile robot in the path. Also, the postural stability information includes a CoP control quantity that includes a deviation between a target CoP and an actual measured value of the mobile robot whose walking is controlled on the basis of a ZMP. Also, the postural stability information further includes a landing position correction quantity that includes an error between a planned floor touching point and an actual measured value of the mobile robot that walks with multiple legs.

A method for controlling motion of a legged robot includes determining one or more candidate landing points for each foot of the robot. The method further includes determining a first correlation between a center of mass position change parameter, candidate landing points, and foot contact force. The method further includes determining, under a constraint condition set and based on the first correlation, a target center of mass position change parameter, a target step order, and a target landing point for each foot selected among the one or more candidate landing points for the respective foot, the constraint condition set constraining a step order. The method further includes controlling, according to the target center of mass position change parameter, the target step order, and the target landing point for each foot, motion of the legged robot in the preset period.

A method for controlling motion of a legged robot includes determining one or more candidate landing points for each foot of the robot. The method further includes determining a first correlation between a center of mass position change parameter, candidate landing points, and foot contact force. The method further includes determining, under a constraint condition set and based on the first correlation, a target center of mass position change parameter, a target step order, and a target landing point for each foot selected among the one or more candidate landing points for the respective foot, the constraint condition set constraining a step order. The method further includes controlling, according to the target center of mass position change parameter, the target step order, and the target landing point for each foot, motion of the legged robot in the preset period.

Control for controlling a robot that allows selection from among multiple gaits is provided. The control apparatus includes a cost map creation unit that creates a cost map for each of gaits of the robot that allows selection from among multiple gaits, and a path creation unit that creates a path including gait switching for the robot by using the cost maps created by the cost map creation unit. The path creation unit searches for the shortest path by using the cost map of the gait that is high in traversing performance among the multiple gaits, performs search for a gait switching point on the path found out, and researches, in a case where there is a gait switching point, for a path on the cost map of the gait selected by an objective function, by using the gait switching point as a sub goal.

A method for controlling an ankle-type walking assistance device may include measuring an angle of a joint of the walking assistance apparatus, calculating an angular velocity and a linear velocity of a frame of the walking assistance device using an inertial measurement unit (IMU) attached to the frame, generating a dynamics model for the walking assistance device based on the angle of the joint, the angular velocity and the linear velocity of the frame, calculating a disturbance applied to the walking assistance device based on the dynamics model, and controlling the walking assistance device based on the calculated force, equivalent, or wrench.