Energy-Efficient Hip Joint Offsets in Humanoid Robot via Taguchi Method and Bio-inspired Analysis

Although previous research has improved the energy efficiency of humanoid robots to increase mobility, no study has considered the offset between hip joints to this end. Here, we optimized the offsets of hip joints in humanoid robots via the Taguchi method to maximize energy efficiency. During optimization, the offsets between hip joints were selected as control factors, and the sum of the root-mean-square power consumption from three actuated hip joints was set as the objective function. We analyzed the power consumption of a humanoid robot model implemented in physics simulation software. As the Taguchi method was originally devised for robust optimization, we selected turning, forward, backward, and sideways walking motions as noise factors. Through two optimization stages, we obtained near-optimal results for the humanoid hip joint offsets. We validated the results by comparing the root-mean-square (RMS) power consumption of the original and optimized humanoid models, finding that the RMS power consumption was reduced by more than 25% in the target motions. We explored the reason for the reduction of power consumption through bio-inspired analysis from human gait mechanics. As the distance between the left and right hip joints in the frontal plane became narrower, the amplitude of the sway motion of the upper body was reduced. We found that the reduced sway motion of the upper body of the optimized joint configuration was effective in improving energy efficiency, similar to the influence of the pathway of the body’s center of gravity (COG) on human walking efficiency.

Comparison of Wave Energy Park Layouts by Experimental and Numerical Methods

An experimental campaign of arrays with direct-driven wave energy converters of point-absorbing type is presented. The arrays consist of six identical floats, moving in six degrees of freedom, and six rotating power take-off systems, based on the design developed at Uppsala University. The goals of the work were to study and compare the performances of three different array layouts under several regular and irregular long-crested waves, and in addition, to determine whether the numerical predictions of the best performing array layouts were confirmed by experimental data. The simulations were executed with a frequency domain model restricted to heave, which is a computationally fast approach that was merged into a genetic algorithm optimization routine and used to find optimal array configurations. The results show that good agreement between experiments and simulations is achieved when the test conditions do not induce phenomena of parametric resonance, slack line and wave breaking. Specific non-linear dynamics or extensive sway motion are not captured by the used model, and in such cases the simulation predictions are not accurate, but can nevertheless be used to get an estimate of the power output.

Numerical Analysis of Combined Wave Radiation and Diffraction on a Floating Barge

A two-dimensional boundary element method (BEM) based on the potential flow theory is adopted to study the combined wave radiation and diffraction by a single barge. The wave-body interaction problems are simulated using a mixed Euler-Lagrangian scheme, with fully nonlinear boundary conditions. The numerical schemes are verified through comparing with existing results, which show that both the wave runups on the barge and hydrodynamic forces can be calculated with sufficient accuracy. Cases of a single barge subjected to sway motion and regular waves are studied. The real contribution of this study is the outcomes of the spectral analysis conducted for test cases when wave radiation effects are considered in addition to pure wave diffraction. The cases of sway motion with the same frequency as incident wave are simulated first. It is found that sway motion will reduce the overall horizontal force when the frequency is lower than a critical frequency. After that, the higher the frequency, the bigger the horizontal force increasing effect. When the frequency of sway motion is lower than that of incident wave, in terms of the magnitude of the horizontal force, sway motion of the body will always make the resultant force larger than that of pure diffraction case.

Exponential stabilization of flexural sway vibration of gantry crane via boundary control method

This paper aims to develop a boundary control solution for complicated gantry crane coupled motions. In addition to the large angle sway motion, the crane cable has a flexural transverse vibration. The Hamilton principle has been utilized to derive the governing partial differential equations of motion. The control objectives which are sought include: moving the payload to the desired position; reducing the payload swing with large sway angle; and finally suppressing the cable transverse vibrations in the presence of boundary disturbances simultaneously. These simultaneous boundary control objectives make the problem challenging. The proposed control approach is based on the original nonlinear hybrid partial differential equation–ordinary differential equation model without any simplifications of sway motion nonlinearities, coupling effects, and the effect of gravitational force. Using the Lyapunov method, a boundary control law has been designed which guarantees the exponential stability and uniform boundedness of the closed-loop system. In order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed control method, numerical simulation results are provided by applying the finite difference method.

Heave and Pitch Motions of a Towed Ship in Waves Incorporated with an Asymmetrical Bridle Towline Model

Investigation of a ship towing system performance in waves incorporated with an asymmetrical towline configuration is necessarily to be studied to ensure a towing safety of navigation. To achieve the objective, this paper presents the ship towing motion performance in waves using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) approach. Here, the heave and pitch motions of the towed ship so-called barge has been analysed, where several effects of the towing angle and towing speeds have been taken into account. In the calm water condition, the results revealed that the increase of tow angle was proportional with the sufficient reduction of the sway amplitude motion and inversely proportional to her yaw motion. The increase of the asymmetrical tow angle, however, has led to increase her sway motion amplitude in wave condition and conversely reduced the tow speed increased. In addition to the pitch motion characteristic, it subsequently increased by 12.1% as the tow angle raised from 25° to 35°; meanwhile the pitch motion of barge has by 10.2% as the tow speed increased from 0.655 m/s to 0.728 m/s. This CFD simulation is very useful as the preliminary prediction on the heave and pitch motion characteristics ensure a safety navigation of a towed ship in waves.

Analytical Study for Lateral Buckling of Imperfect Pipelines With Distributed Buoyancy Section

Distributed buoyancy method is one of the buckle initiation techniques used to trigger controlled lateral buckling at planned locations for subsea pipelines operating under high temperature and high pressure (HT/HP) conditions. Deviations from a straight profile for pipelines may be introduced by the pipe-laying vessel’s sway motion during the installation process. In this study, analytical solutions of lateral buckling are deduced for imperfect unburied subsea pipelines with a distributed buoyancy section. The effect of initial imperfections on buckled configurations and typical post-buckling behaviours is illustrated and analysed. The results show that, compared to the case without initial imperfection, lateral displacement amplitude becomes larger when initial imperfection exists. Maximum compressive stress increases when wavelength of initial imperfection is smaller than buckled length of pipeline. However, maximum compressive stress decreases when wavelength of initial imperfection is larger than buckled length of pipeline. So it’s better to introduce longer wavelength of initial imperfection.

Lower bound of performance index of anti-sway control of a pendulum using on-off damping radial spring-damper

An on-off damping radial spring-damper can be attached to a pendulum to suppress its nonlinear sway motion. This paper studies the class of on-off damping controller, which switches the damping level from high to low and back at fixed times every quarter of period. Among this class, this paper shows the solution of the lower bound controller producing the lowest amplitude-frequency curve. The lower bound curve shows some fundamental natures of the system and gives some useful directions for a good on-off damping controller.