Locomotion on Constrained Footholds via Layered Architectures and Model Predictive Control

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Olkin, Zachary, Ames, Aaron D.
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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author Olkin, Zachary
Ames, Aaron D.
author_facet Olkin, Zachary
Ames, Aaron D.
contents Computing stabilizing and optimal control actions for legged locomotion in real time is difficult due to the nonlinear, hybrid, and high dimensional nature of these robots. The hybrid nature of the system introduces a combination of discrete and continuous variables which causes issues for numerical optimal control. To address these challenges, we propose a layered architecture that separates the choice of discrete variables and a smooth Model Predictive Controller (MPC). The layered formulation allows for online flexibility and optimality without sacrificing real-time performance through a combination of gradient-free and gradient-based methods. The architecture leverages a sampling-based method for determining discrete variables, and a classical smooth MPC formulation using these fixed discrete variables. We demonstrate the results on a quadrupedal robot stepping over gaps and onto terrain with varying heights. In simulation, we demonstrate the controller on a humanoid robot for gap traversal. The layered approach is shown to be more optimal and reliable than common heuristic-based approaches and faster to compute than pure sampling methods.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2506_09979
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Locomotion on Constrained Footholds via Layered Architectures and Model Predictive Control
Olkin, Zachary
Ames, Aaron D.
Robotics
Computing stabilizing and optimal control actions for legged locomotion in real time is difficult due to the nonlinear, hybrid, and high dimensional nature of these robots. The hybrid nature of the system introduces a combination of discrete and continuous variables which causes issues for numerical optimal control. To address these challenges, we propose a layered architecture that separates the choice of discrete variables and a smooth Model Predictive Controller (MPC). The layered formulation allows for online flexibility and optimality without sacrificing real-time performance through a combination of gradient-free and gradient-based methods. The architecture leverages a sampling-based method for determining discrete variables, and a classical smooth MPC formulation using these fixed discrete variables. We demonstrate the results on a quadrupedal robot stepping over gaps and onto terrain with varying heights. In simulation, we demonstrate the controller on a humanoid robot for gap traversal. The layered approach is shown to be more optimal and reliable than common heuristic-based approaches and faster to compute than pure sampling methods.
title Locomotion on Constrained Footholds via Layered Architectures and Model Predictive Control
topic Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2506.09979