Design of JET Humanoid Robot with Compliant Modular Actuators for Industrial and Service Applications

Abstract

This paper presents the development of the JET humanoid robot, which is based on the existing THORMANG platform developed in 2015. Application in the industrial and service fields was targeted, and three design concepts were determined for the humanoid robot. First, low stiffness of the actuator modules was utilized for compliance with external environments. Second, to maximize the robot whole-body motion capability, the overall height was increased. However, the weight was reduced to satisfy power requirements. The workspace was also increased to enable various postures, by increasing the range of motion of each joint and extending the links. Compared to the original THORMANG platform, the lower limb length increased by approximately 20%, and the hip range of motion increased by 39.3%. Third, the maintenance process was simplified through modularization of the electronics and frame design for improved accessibility. Several experiments, including stair climbing and egress from a car, were performed to verify that the JET humanoid robot performance enhancements reflected the design concepts.

Modelling and Control of Mechatronic and Robotic Systems, Volume II

“…The work of [12] presents the design of the JET humanoid robot, characterized by low stiffness of the actuator modules, high motion capability, and wide range of motion of each joint. Experimental results, including stair climbing, egress from a car, and object manipulation, verify the robot performance and design concepts.…”

CARRT—Motion Capture Data for Robotic Human Upper Body Model

“…This advancement holds immense promise in collaborative settings, mitigating anxiety and enhancing situational awareness among human collaborators. As a result, collaborative tasks within shared workspaces become more efficient, safer, and more conducive to productive interactions [5,7]. Therefore, it becomes important for researchers to formulate robust motion planning algorithms capable of accurately mimicking human movements to foster this sense of security.…”

NU-Biped-4.5: A Lightweight and Low-Prototyping-Cost Full-Size Bipedal Robot

“…Given that most of the robots considered in this study are full-scale, with a height comparable to that of an adult human, a weight-to-height ratio [42,43] can be introduced to demonstrate how efficient the design is in terms of reachable workspace. Longer links with low mass enable the robot to reach farther and perform tasks in diverse environments while maintaining stability and reducing the risk of toppling over.…”