RL-augmented MPC Framework for Agile and Robust Bipedal Footstep Locomotion Planning and Control

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bang, Seung Hyeon, Jové, Carlos Arribalzaga, Sentis, Luis
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866916335956525056
author Bang, Seung Hyeon
Jové, Carlos Arribalzaga
Sentis, Luis
author_facet Bang, Seung Hyeon
Jové, Carlos Arribalzaga
Sentis, Luis
contents This paper proposes an online bipedal footstep planning strategy that combines model predictive control (MPC) and reinforcement learning (RL) to achieve agile and robust bipedal maneuvers. While MPC-based foot placement controllers have demonstrated their effectiveness in achieving dynamic locomotion, their performance is often limited by the use of simplified models and assumptions. To address this challenge, we develop a novel foot placement controller that leverages a learned policy to bridge the gap between the use of a simplified model and the more complex full-order robot system. Specifically, our approach employs a unique combination of an ALIP-based MPC foot placement controller for sub-optimal footstep planning and the learned policy for refining footstep adjustments, enabling the resulting footstep policy to capture the robot's whole-body dynamics effectively. This integration synergizes the predictive capability of MPC with the flexibility and adaptability of RL. We validate the effectiveness of our framework through a series of experiments using the full-body humanoid robot DRACO 3. The results demonstrate significant improvements in dynamic locomotion performance, including better tracking of a wide range of walking speeds, enabling reliable turning and traversing challenging terrains while preserving the robustness and stability of the walking gaits compared to the baseline ALIP-based MPC approach.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2407_17683
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle RL-augmented MPC Framework for Agile and Robust Bipedal Footstep Locomotion Planning and Control
Bang, Seung Hyeon
Jové, Carlos Arribalzaga
Sentis, Luis
Robotics
This paper proposes an online bipedal footstep planning strategy that combines model predictive control (MPC) and reinforcement learning (RL) to achieve agile and robust bipedal maneuvers. While MPC-based foot placement controllers have demonstrated their effectiveness in achieving dynamic locomotion, their performance is often limited by the use of simplified models and assumptions. To address this challenge, we develop a novel foot placement controller that leverages a learned policy to bridge the gap between the use of a simplified model and the more complex full-order robot system. Specifically, our approach employs a unique combination of an ALIP-based MPC foot placement controller for sub-optimal footstep planning and the learned policy for refining footstep adjustments, enabling the resulting footstep policy to capture the robot's whole-body dynamics effectively. This integration synergizes the predictive capability of MPC with the flexibility and adaptability of RL. We validate the effectiveness of our framework through a series of experiments using the full-body humanoid robot DRACO 3. The results demonstrate significant improvements in dynamic locomotion performance, including better tracking of a wide range of walking speeds, enabling reliable turning and traversing challenging terrains while preserving the robustness and stability of the walking gaits compared to the baseline ALIP-based MPC approach.
title RL-augmented MPC Framework for Agile and Robust Bipedal Footstep Locomotion Planning and Control
topic Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.17683