SNF Project Locomotion: Progress report 2008-2009

From locomotion to cognition..............................................................................................................1 Table of contents..............................................................................................................................1 1 Summary of results (project period 1. 10. 2008 – 30. 9. 2009).....................................................2 (a) Work package 1: On-line manipulation of morphology.........................................................2 Novel actuators......................................................................................................................2 Magnetic spring.................................................................................................................2 Jack spring.........................................................................................................................4 Legged platforms....................................................................................................................5 Zürihopper.........................................................................................................................5 Rumbo...............................................................................................................................9 Quadrupedal robots............................................................................................................9 Swimming platforms............................................................................................................10 WandaX...........................................................................................................................10 Wanda2.0.........................................................................................................................12 (b) Work package 2: Learning to exploit body dynamics .........................................................13 Exploration of body capabilities and learning to exploit them............................................13 Co-optimizing a feed-forward controller and robot morphology....................................13 Entrainment with feedback oscillators.............................................................................13 Controllers with chaotic dynamics..................................................................................15 Modeling – Normal modes..............................................................................................15 Synthesis of body schema....................................................................................................17 2 Overview of contributions of SNF researchers...........................................................................19 Funded by the project.................................................................................................................19 Supervision of MSc., BSc. theses.........................................................................................19 Ongoing theses................................................................................................................19 3 Dissemination and special events................................................................................................19 «SCIENCEsuisse» portrait of Rolf Pfeifer (November 2008)........................................19 Lecture at Kinderuniversität (19. 11. 2008)....................................................................19 FET Conference Prague (21. 23. 4. 2009).....................................................................19 Shanghai Science and Art Exhibition (14. 20. 5. 2009)................................................20 Lab tours..........................................................................................................................20 Lectures and invited talks...........................................................................................................20 Prof. Dr. Rolf Pfeifer............................................................................................................20 Marc Ziegler.........................................................................................................................20 Matej Hoffmann ..................................................................................................................21 Juan Pablo Carbajal..............................................................................................................21 4 Publication list ............................................................................................................................21 Book and Journal........................................................................................................................21 Publications in preparation.........................................................................................................21 MSc. and BSc. theses.................................................................................................................21