Katja Mombaur

Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing, University of Heidelberg

Tuesday, August 02, 2016, 11:00

Room 01-012, Georges-Köhler-Allee 102, Freiburg 79110, Germany

In this talk, I will give an overview of our research on model-based optimal control for motion research in robotics, biomechanics and rehabilitation. Humans and humanoid robots are remarkably complex systems. Dynamic models and optimal control methods can serve to gain a better understanding of human movement in addition to knowledge obtained from experimental recordings. Model-based optimal control can also lead to significantly improved design and control of technical devices for human movement and humanoid robots. The talk will cover the following topics:   

• Identifying optimality criteria of human movement by inverse optimal control
• Improving walking capabilities of humanoid robots by optimization, learning and movement primitives
• Designing and controlling exoskeletons for the lower limbs and the back
• Designing physical assistive devices for the elderly
• Analyzing stability and of human movement and robustness to large perturbations
• Analyzing the role of compliance in human and humanoid motion.

This work has received funding within the European projects KoroiBot, MOBOT and SPEXOR as well as from the German excellence initiative.