Abstract
The Robotic Systems Lab at ETH Zurich investigates the development of machines and their intelligence to operate in rough and challenging environments. With a large focus on robots with arms and legs, our research includes novel actuation methods for advanced dynamic interaction, innovative designs for increased system mobility and versatility, and new control and optimization algorithms for locomotion and manipulation. In search of clever solutions, we take inspiration from humans and animals with the goal to improve the skills and autonomy of complex robotic systems to make them applicable in various real-world scenarios. In this talk I will provide an overview on our work on legged robots that are used for autonomous inspection and exploration. This includes novel compliant actuators that enable dynamic interaction, model based control algorithms to balance the machine in dynamic gaits, optimization tools to learn motion trajectory and feedback control parameters, legged state estimation and terrain mapping. An overview about our work and the newest robot ANYmal is available on www.rsl.ethz.ch and on our youtube channel: www.youtube.com/leggedrobotics
Biography
Marco Hutter is assistant professor for Robotic Systems at ETH Zurich and Branco Weiss Fellow. After studying mechanical engineering, he conducted his doctoral degree in robotics at ETH with focus on design, actuation, and control of dynamic legged robotic systems. Marco is part of the national competence centers for robotics (NCCR robotics) and digital fabrication (NCCR dfab). He coordinates several research projects, industrial collaborations, and international competitions (e.g. ARGOS challenge) that target the application of high-mobile autonomous vehicles in challenging environments such as for search and rescue, industrial inspection, or construction operation. His research interests are in the development of novel machines and actuation concepts together with the underlying control, planning, and optimization algorithms for locomotion and manipulation.