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Dynamic coordination between robots: self-organized timing selection in a juggling-like ball-passing task
Hiroaki Hirai1, Fumio Miyazaki
1Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Japan. hirai@robotics.me.es.osaka-u.ac.jp
Summary
This study introduces a robot control architecture for rhythmic coordination in juggling-like tasks. It enables adaptive, self-organized movement through environmental interaction without needing explicit models.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Control Systems
- Computational Neuroscience
Background:
- Rhythmic coordination in robots is crucial for tasks like juggling.
- Existing methods often require environmental models or constant monitoring.
- Adapting to environmental changes remains a challenge in robotic systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose a novel hierarchical architecture for rhythmic coordination in robots.
- To enable robots to adapt to environmental changes through passive control mechanisms.
- To demonstrate self-organized temporal structures for stable, coordinated motion.
Main Methods:
- Developed a hierarchical architecture with "bidirectional weak coupling" to the environment.
- Incorporated two passive-control mechanisms: "open-loop stable mechanism" and "entrainment mechanism."
- Utilized interaction at ball contact for adaptation, avoiding environmental modeling.
Main Results:
- The architecture facilitates rhythmic coordination suitable for juggling-like tasks.
- Demonstrated adaptation to environmental changes via interaction, not explicit monitoring.
- Achieved self-organized temporal structures leading to stable, coordinated robot motion.
- Successfully demonstrated two motion patterns between two robots passing two balls.
Conclusions:
- The proposed architecture effectively achieves rhythmic coordination in robots.
- The "bidirectional weak coupling" approach allows for environmental adaptation.
- Passive control mechanisms foster self-organization and stable, dynamic patterns.