MIT System Optimizes a Robot's Physical Structure and Control Based on Terrain
CAMBRIDGE, MA—Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) researchers have developed the RoboGrammar system, which automatically generates an optimal structure and controller for an arthropod-inspired robot to traverse a given terrain. The system generates this outcome based on a set of user-specified primitive components, according to the research paper, “RoboGrammar: Graph Grammar for Terrain-Optimized Robot Design.”
The process starts with the user defining the problem and inputting specified primitive components (such as joint types, links and wheels), each with prescribed attributes (such as rotational angles and axes, sizes and weights). The user also specifies the variety of terrain to be traversed, which can include combinations of elements like steps, flat areas, or slippery surfaces. This step is key to making sure the robot can be built in the real world.