- Spike-Based Impedance Controller for the Baxter Robot
- Project Year:
2020
- REU Student (s):
Yianni Karabatis | University of Maryland-Baltimore County MD
- Student 1 Institution:
University of Maryland-Baltimore County
- Project Mentor:
Konstantinos Michmizos
- Project Mentor Area:
Computer Science
- Project Abstract:
Impedance control is a type of interaction control method used to control the force of resistance within a robot from an external manipulator (e.g. a human). Impedance control has motion inputs and force outputs. Impedance control can be used as a means to improve the physical and dynamic relationship between robot and manipulator and has applications in rehabilitation robots and vehicles due to their interaction with humans (fragile manipulators). The goal of this project is to work with the Baxter robot, created by Rethink Robotics, to implement an impedance controller and then a spike-based impedance controller for the limbs of the Baxter robot. The spike-based impedance controller will be executed using a spiking neural network (SNN) to control the robot. An SNN is a type of artificial neural network that is more biologically plausible and its neurons only fire when an action potential reaches a certain value.
