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Legged-Robots: Introduction

This repository contains papers, videos and other references in the field of legged robots.

Robotics conference paper lists

  1. List of all ICRA 2024 paper: [Webpage]
  2. List of all IROS 2023 papers: [Google sheet] / [Github Repo]
  3. List of all ICRA 2023 papers: [Google sheet]

:page_with_curl: Papers

:robot: ICRA 2023

Learning for locomotion

  1. DribbleBot: Dynamic Legged Manipulation in the wild [Paper][Video][Code][Notes]
  2. Learning Low-Frequency Motion Control for Robust and Dynamic Robot Locomotion [Paper][Video][Website]
  3. OPT-Mimic: Imitation of Optimized Trajectories for Dynamic Quadruped Behaviors [Paper][Video][Website]
  4. Learning to Walk by Steering: Perceptive Quadrupedal Locomotion in Dynamic Environments [Paper][Video][Website][Code]
  5. Legs As Manipulator: Pushing Quadrupedal Agility Beyond Locomotion [Paper][Video][Website]
  6. Advanced Skills through Multiple Adversarial Motion Priors in Reinforcement Learning [Paper][Video]
  7. Deep Reinforcement Learning Based Personalized Locomotion Planning for Lower-Limb Exoskeletons [Paper][Video]
  8. Expanding Versatility of Agile Locomotion through Policy Transitions Using Latent State Representation [Paper][Video]
  9. Sim-To-Real Transfer for Quadrupedal Locomotion Via Terrain Transformer [Paper]
  10. Agile and Versatile Robot Locomotion Via Kernel-Based Residual Learning [Paper][Video]

:joystick: Legged Robot Control:

Optimization Based control for legged robots:

  1. Survey Paper: Optimization-Based Control for Dynamic Legged Robots [Paper]
  2. Convex MPC for Quadruped walking: Dynamic Locomotion in the MIT Cheetah 3 Through Convex Model-Predictive Control [Paper]
  3. Feedback MPC: Feedback MPC for Torque-Controlled Legged Robots [Paper]
  4. RF-MPC: Representation-Free Model Predictive Control for Dynamic Motions in Quadrupeds [Paper] [Github]
  5. Motion Imitation: Learning Agile Robotic Locomotion Skills by Imitating Animals [Paper] [Github]
  6. Non-Linear RF-MPC: Real-Time Constrained Nonlinear Model Predictive Control on SO(3) or Dynamic Legged Locomotion [Paper]
  7. WBC+MPC: Highly Dynamic Quadruped Locomotion via Whole-Body Impulse Control and Model Predictive Control [Paper]

Quadruped Learning Based locomotion:

  1. RMA: RMA: Rapid Motor Adaptation for Legged Robots [Paper]
  2. Walk These Ways: Walk These Ways: Tuning Robot Control for Generalization with Multiplicity of Behavior [Paper]
  3. DreamWaQ: DreamWaQ: Learning Robust Quadrupedal Locomotion with Implicit Terrain Imagination Via Deep Reinforcement Learning [Paper][Video][Website]
  4. HIMloco: Hybrid Internal Model: Learning Agile Legged Locomotion with Simulated Robot Response [Paper]
  5. Tencent Robotics: Lifelike Agility and Play on Quadrupedal Robots using Reinforcement Learning and Deep Pre-trained Models [Paper][Website][Video]
  6. Linear Policy: Force Control for Robust Quadruped Locomotion: A Linear Policy Approach [Paper][Video][Website]
  7. PIP-Loco: Pip-Loco: A propioceptive Infinite Horizon Planning Framework for Quadrupedal Robot Locomotion [Paper]

Application of Learning-based locomotion on Quadrupeds:

  1. DribbleBot: DribbleBot: Dynamic Legged Manipulation in the wild [Paper][Video][Code][Notes]
  2. Legs As Manipulator: Pushing Quadrupedal Agility Beyond Locomotion [Paper][Video][Website]

Humanoids Learning based locomotion:

  1. Bi-Level Motion Imitation for Humanoid Robots [Paper]

:hammer_and_wrench: Legged Robot Mechanical Design

:page_facing_up: Design Principles for legged robots:

  1. MIT, Design Principles: Design principles for highly efficient quadrupeds and implementation on the MIT Cheetah robot [Paper]

:dog: Quadruped Robot Design Papers:

  1. MIT Cheetah-3: MIT Cheetah 3: Design and Control of a Robust, Dynamic Quadruped Robot [Paper]
  2. MIT Mini Cheetah: Mini Cheetah: A Platform for Pushing the Limits of Dynamic Quadruped Control [Paper] [Blog]
  3. MIT Super Mini-Cheetah: The MIT Super Mini Cheetah: A small, low-cost quadrupedal robot for dynamic locomotion [Paper]
  4. ANYmal Robot: ANYmal - A Highly Mobile and Dynamic Quadrupedal Robot [Paper]
  5. KAIST, HOUND design: Design of KAIST HOUND, a Quadruped Robot Platform for Fast and Efficient Locomotion with Mixed-Integer Nonlinear Optimization of a Gear Train [Paper]
  6. Barry Robot: Barry: A High-Payload and Agile Quadruped Robot [Paper]
  7. UIUC, Panther: Design and experimental implementation of a quasi-direct-drive leg for optimized jumping [Paper]
  8. Stanford Doggo: Stanford Doggo, an open source quasi-direct drive quadruped [Paper] [Github]
  9. Solo Robot: An Open Torque-Controlled Modular Robot Architecture for Legged Locomotion Research [Paper]
  10. MiniTaur: Design Principles for a Family of Direct-Drive Legged Robots [Paper]
  11. Stoch, IISc: Design, Development and Experimental Realization of A Quadrupedal Research Platform: Stoch [Paper]
  12. Tachyon, Sony: Tachyon: Design and Control of High Payload, Robust, and Dynamic Quadruped Robot with Series-Parallel Elastic Actuators [Paper]
  13. Raibo Robot, KAIST: RaiBo: A versatile robo-dog that runs through a sandy beach at 3 meters per second [News-Article] [Video]

:robot: Humanoid Robot Design:

  1. Berkely Humanoid: Berkeley Humanoid: A Research Platform for Learning-based Control [Paper]
  2. MIT Humanoid: Design and Development of the MIT Humanoid: A Dynamic and Robust Research Platform [Paper]
  3. UIUC, Tello Leg: Tello Leg: The Study of Design Principles and Metrics for Dynamic Humanoid Robots [Paper]
  4. UIUC, Tello Leg: The dynamic effect of mechanical losses of transmissions on the equation of motion of legged robots [Paper]
  5. AMI, IIT, Italy, egroCub Humanoid: Optimization of Humanoid Robot Designs for Human-Robot Ergonomic Payload Lifting [Paper]
  6. Tiktok, Humanoid, Cornell University: [Website]

:joystick: :hammer_and_wrench: Co-Design Optimization:

  1. Vitruvio: An Open-Source Leg Design Optimization Toolbox for Walking Robots [Paper]
  2. Co-design(CACTO): Exploring the Limits of a Redundant Actuation System Through Co-Design [Paper]
  3. Meta Reinforcement Learning for Optimal Design of Legged Robots [Paper]

:electron: Electric motor based Actuator Designs for Legged Robots:

  1. KAIST, Actuator Design: DRPD, Dual Reduction Ratio Planetary Drive for Articulated Robot Actuators [Paper]
  2. Dual Motor Design (2021): Explosive Electric Actuator and Control for Legged Robots [Paper]
  3. John Harry Bell, Master's Thesis, MIT (2018): A Two-Motor Actuator for Legged Robotics Applications [Thesis]
  4. Robotics and Multibody Mechanics Research Group (R&MM), Belgium (2017): Modeling and design of an energy-efficient dual-motor actuation unit with a planetary differential and holding brakes [Paper]
  5. Alexandre Girard's paper, Hamburg, Germany IROS(2015): A Two-Speed Actuator for Robotics with Fast Seamless Gear Shifting [Paper]
  6. Hoyul Lee's Paper, ASME/IEEE Transactions on mechatronics(2012): A New Actuator System Using Dual-Motors and a Planetary Gear [Paper]
  7. Jung Jun Park' paper, ASME/IEEE Transactions on mechatronics(2010): A Serial-Type Dual Actuator Unit With Planetary Gear Train: Basic Design and Applications [Paper]

Patents

  1. Boston Dynamics: List of Patents from Boston Dynamics
  2. Boston Dynamics: Screw Actuator for Legged Robots
  3. Boston Dynamics: WO2018112097 - TRANSMISSION WITH INTEGRATED OVERLOAD PROTECTION FOR A LEGGED ROBOT

Robotics Workshops Websites and video links

  1. ICRA 2024 Workshop on Co-design in Robotics: Theory, Practice, and Challenges: [Webpage]
  2. ICRA 2024 Advancements in Trajectory Optimization and Model Predictive Control for Legged Systems: [Webpage]

Video Lectures:

Robotics and Controls:

  1. Robotics Fall 2023, by Pranav Bhounsule: [Videos][Notes]

Topics in Mathematics

  1. MIT 18.06 Linear Algebra, Spring 2005, MITOCW: Gilbert Strang

Optimization

  1. Course: Numerical Optimization, (NPTEL): Shirish Sevade

Trajectory Optimization

  1. Video Lecture: Introduction to Trajectory Optimization: Matthew Kelly
  2. Video Lecture: Underactuated Robotics, Trajectory Optimization I: Lec 11, Russ Tedrake
  3. Video Lecture: Underactuated Robotics, Trajectory Optimization II: Lec 12, Russ Tedrake
  4. Video Lecture: Optimization, Optimal Control, Trajectory Optimization, and Splines: Jesus Tordesillas
  5. Book: Practical Methods for Optimal control and estimation using non-linear programming, John T. Betts
  6. Github Repos: Matthew Kelly's TrajOpt Repo
  7. Github Repos: MindtPy Library Page: MINLP solver
  8. Tutorial Paper: An Introduction to Trajectory Optimization: How to do your own direct collocation, Matthew Kelly

Basics of Control systems

  1. Linear Quadratic Regulator (LQR): Basics/Overview Derivation

Reinforcement Learning

  1. Deep RL Bootcamp
  2. Reinforcement Learning: David Silver
  3. CS-285: Deep Reinforcement Learning, UC Berkeley
  4. Spinning up*: It's a blog but really useful

ROS

  1. ROS Wiki Tutorials: Muhammad Luqman

Mechanical Design and Theory

  1. Kinematics of Mechanisms and Machines: NPTEL, IIT KGP
    1. Lec-37: Gear Kinematics
    2. Lec-38: Gear Trains I
    3. Lec-39: Gear Trains II
    4. Lec-40: Gear Trains III
  2. Bond Graph Modeling: NPTEL
  3. Gear Strength Theory: NPTEL
  4. Friction-Model-for-Spur-Gear-transmission-efficiency: Review by Tsuneji Yada

Miscellaneous:

  1. List-of-Science-and-Math-courses

Usefull Books:

  1. Statics and Dynamics: Andy Ruina

Useful Tools:

Mathematics:

  1. Lean: Programming Language for Theorem prover [Link]
    i. Tutorials: Natural Number Game [Link]

Useful articles:

Software installations:

  1. Installing Anaconda on Ubuntu 22.04
  2. Installing Anaconda on Ubuntu 18.04

Technical topics:

  1. DDP: A good read for DDP
  2. Policy Gradient Algorithms: A good read for Policy Gradient Algos
  3. Reinforcement Learning Resources: A list of resources for studying Reinforcement Learning
  4. What are Diffusion Models?

Study:

  1. How to read Research Papers?
    • How to read a research paper by Andrew NG: Video / Notes
    • How to Read a Paper by S. Keshav: PDF
    • How to read a paper: LinkedIn Post
    • Usefull Resources by Ness B Shroff, on PhD and writing papers: Webpage
  2. How to organize Reasearch Papers?
    • How to find, read and organize papers by Maya Gosztyla: Article

Know your scientist:

  1. Steven LaValle: Motivating story of Steven LaValle, who gave the RRT algorithm.
  2. Shuji Nakamura: Invention of Blue LED: Documentary about invention of blue LED.

Website:

  1. List of usefull resources: Aditya Mehrotra, MIT D-lab
  2. StePhane Caron
  3. Usefull Resources: Xiaobin Xiong

Productivity Articles: (Don't get sucked too much into them)

  1. HBR: 5 Mental Mistakes That Kill Your Productivity by Alice Boyes

Cool AI tools:

  1. InstantID : Merges your picture with text description and an optional pose photo
  2. Perplexity.ai : A replacement for ChatGPT. It is real-time and it continuously searches the internet.
  3. Text to Image Playground: COnvert text to image with free credits addition.

Useful GitHub Repositories:

  1. loco-3d/crocoddyl: Crocoddyl is an optimal control library for robot control under contact sequence. Its solver is based on various efficient Differential Dynamic Programming (DDP)-like algorithms

  2. Pinocchio: Efficient and Versatile Rigid Body Dynamics Algorithms


List of Robotics Conferences and Journals:

  1. List of Top Robotics Conferences and Publications: [List on Google Scholar Webpage]
    1. A few ASME Conferences and Journals:
      1. Journal of Mechanisms and Robots,
      2. Journal of Dynamics Systems, Measurement and Control, and
      3. Transaction on Mechatronics (IEEE/ASME) etc
    2. A few IEEE Conferences and Journals:
      1. International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA),
      2. International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems (IROS),
      3. Robotics and Automation Letters (RAL),
      4. Transaction on Robotics (T-RO) etc.
  2. IEEE publication recommender: [Link]


Professors and Labs working in legged robotics

India

USA

Europe

South Korea

Other Labs


Robotics Companies

India


Accesories for Legged robots:

  1. Motors
    1. TQ-Motors: Used in Raibo Quadruped
    2. Halodi Motors: Used in Hound quadruped
  2. Drivers
    1. Mjbots: Moteus-n1, Moteus-r4.xx
      It also provide several other accesories for legged robots. It is like a one stop shop.