Feedback Linearization of Inertially Actuated Jumping Robots

Inertially Actuated Jumping Robots (IAJR) provide a promising new means of locomotion. The difficulty of IAJR is found in the hybrid nature of the ground contact/flying dynamics. Recent research studies in our Systems Lab have provided a family tree of inertially actuated locomotion systems. The proposed Tapping Robot is the most prompt member of this tree. In this paper, a feedback linearization controller is introduced to provide controllability given the 3-dimensional motion complexity. The research objective is to create a general controller that can regulate the locomotion of Inertially Actuated Jumping Robots. The expected results can specify a desired speed and/or jump height, and the controller ensures the desired values are achieved. The controller can achieve the greatest response for the Basketball Robot at a maximum jump height of 0.25 m, which is greater than the former performance with approximately 0.18 m. The design paradigm used on the Basketball Robot was extended to the Tapping Robot. The Tapping Robot achieved a stable average forward velocity of 0.0773 m/s in simulation and 0.157 m/s in experimental results, which is faster than the forward velocity of former robot, Pony III, with 0.045 m/s.

Cooperation in sound and motion: Complexity matching in collaborative interaction

Complex behaviors are layered with processes across timescales that must be coordinated with each other to accomplish cooperative goals. Complexity matching is the coordination of nested layers of behaviors across individuals. We hypothesize that complexity matching extends across individuals and their respective layers of processes when cooperating in joint tasks. We measured coordination in a joint tower building task through the layers of sound and movement patterns produced by partners and found that partners built higher towers when their sound patterns fell into more similar relations with each other across timescales, as measured by complexity matching. Our findings shed light on the function of complexity matching and lead to new hypotheses about multiscale coordination and communication. We discuss how complexity matching encompasses flexible and complementary dynamics between partners that support complex acts of human coordination.

Using Wearable Sensor Technology to Measure Motion Complexity in Infants at High Familial Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder

Background: Motor dysfunction has been reported as one of the first signs of atypical development in infants at high familial risk for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) (HR infants). However, studies have shown inconsistent results regarding the nature of motor dysfunction and whether it can be predictive of later ASD diagnosis. This is likely because current standardized motor assessments may not identify subtle and specific motor impairments that precede clinically observable motor dysfunction. Quantitative measures of motor development may address these limitations by providing objective evaluation of subtle motor differences in infancy. Methods: We used Opal wearable sensors to longitudinally evaluate full day motor activity in HR infants, and develop a measure of motion complexity. We focus on complexity of motion because optimal motion complexity is crucial to normal motor development and less complex behaviors might represent repetitive motor behaviors, a core diagnostic symptom of ASD. As proof of concept, the relationship of the motion complexity measure to developmental outcomes was examined in a small set of HR infants. Results: HR infants with a later diagnosis of ASD show lower motion complexity compared to those that do not. There is a stronger correlation between motion complexity and ASD outcome compared to outcomes of cognitive ability and adaptive skills. Conclusions: Objective measures of motor development are needed to identify characteristics of atypical infant motor function that are sensitive and specific markers of later ASD risk. Motion complexity could be used to track early infant motor development and to discriminate HR infants that go on to develop ASD.

A Novel Two-Level Rate Control Algorithm Based on Visual Attention for 360-Degree Video for Versatile Video Coding Standard

360-degree video is providing users with an interactive experience to explore the scenes freely. But, because only a small portion of the entire video, called viewport, is watched at every point in time, transmitting the entire video is bandwidth-consuming. Since, the perceptual quality of such video mainly depends on the quality of the viewport, more bandwidth should be assigned to these important parts of the scene. Hence, understanding how people observe and explore 360-degree content is essential. In this paper, we propose a new Two-level rate control algorithm which tries to allocate more bits for encoding the viewport parts of a 360-degree video. The head and eye movements of the observers is used to investigate the visual attention of people to detect the viewports. Then, a Coding Tree Unit (CTU) level rate assignment approach is proposed to assign a proper number of bits to each CTU of the viewport and non-viewport parts. It is assumed that higher motion complexity results in higher bitrates of the encoded video. So, we propose to assign the proper number of bits to each CTU according to its motion complexity. Another novel part of our proposed approach is proposing a new metric to parameterize the motion complexity of each CTU using the high-order motion models in Versatile Video Coding (VVC) standard. Experimental results show that our proposed rate control, on average, achieves 58.27% reduction in bitrate in the Bjøntegaard-Bitrate scales, compared to the standard VCC standard. Furthermore, the proposed scheme provides a significantly better subjective viewing quality compared to the-state-of-the-art methods.

On Dynamical Behavior of a Friction-Induced Oscillator with 2-DOF on a Speed-Varying Traveling Belt

The dynamical behavior of a friction-induced oscillator with 2-DOF on a speed-varying belt is investigated by using the flow switchability theory of discontinuous dynamical systems. The mechanical model consists of two masses and a speed-varying traveling belt. Both of the masses on the traveling belt are connected with three linear springs and three dampers and are harmonically excited. Different domains and boundaries for such system are defined according to the friction discontinuity. Based on the above domains and boundaries, the analytical conditions of the passable motions, stick motions, and grazing motions for the friction-induced oscillator are obtained mathematically. An analytical prediction of periodic motions is performed through the mapping dynamics. With appropriate mapping structure, the simulations of the stick and nonstick motions in the two-degree friction-induced oscillator are illustrated for a better understanding of the motion complexity.