Learning Rapid Turning, Aerial Reorientation, and Balancing using Manipulator as a Tail

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel approach where a 6-DoF manipulator is used as a tail on quadruped robots, controlled via reinforcement learning, to enhance agility and stability in tasks like turning and balancing.

Contribution

The study introduces using a manipulator as a multifunctional tail, reducing weight and cost while improving robot agility and stability through reinforcement learning control.

Findings

Robots with the manipulator outperform those without in rapid turning.

Enhanced aerial reorientation and balancing achieved with the manipulator.

Manipulator use leads to improved agility and stability.

Abstract

In this research, we investigated the innovative use of a manipulator as a tail in quadruped robots to augment their physical capabilities. Previous studies have primarily focused on enhancing various abilities by attaching robotic tails that function solely as tails on quadruped robots. While these tails improve the performance of the robots, they come with several disadvantages, such as increased overall weight and higher costs. To mitigate these limitations, we propose the use of a 6-DoF manipulator as a tail, allowing it to serve both as a tail and as a manipulator. To control this highly complex robot, we developed a controller based on reinforcement learning for the robot equipped with the manipulator. Our experimental results demonstrate that robots equipped with a manipulator outperform those without a manipulator in tasks such as rapid turning, aerial reorientation, and balancing. These results indicate that the manipulator can improve the agility and stability of quadruped robots, similar to a tail, in addition to its manipulation capabilities.