LimX Dynamics Elevates Humanoid Robotics Capabilities with Updates on Stair Climbing and Running
LimX Dynamics, a general-purpose robot company, announced the latest updates with its humanoid robot CL-1, which has demonstrated stair climbing in a single stride and stable back and forth running for the first time. These updates represent LimX Dynamics’ continuous iteration in humanoid robot, especially on real-time terrain perception, full-body motion control, and overall hardware platform performance.
Stair Climbing and Running
Capitalizing on advanced real-time terrain perception technology, CL-1 has evolved from taking double steps to climb a single stair to alternating feet with each stride, mirroring the dynamic stair ascent of humans. (Read more: LimX Dynamics’ CL-1 achieves stair climbing based on real-time terrain perception announced in Dec, 2023)
CL-1’s latest demonstration also includes a dynamic running test that showcases its smooth transition from still to motion, and adaptability to speed change, evidencing the continuous and dynamics whole body control in action.
Synchronized Hardware and Software Upgrades
LimX Dynamics has honed its software to leverage real-time and precise terrain perception data, empowering CL-1 with swifter and more robust stair climbing capabilities. The full-body motion control algorithm has also undergone iterative enhancements to underpin the robot’s dynamic motion, resulting in a marked reduction of body oscillations during movement.
CL-1’s hardware has been continuously upgraded to address the more demanding requirements. Whether climbing stairs with larger strides or running back and forth, more stringent requirements are placed on the robot’s power performance and stability. Its joints boast improved performance — enhanced torque, rotational speed, and reduced reaction time. The overall structural design of the robot has also been refined, achieving stronger impact resistance with a lighter total weight to better balance the robot’s power performance and stability.
Humanoid Robots, From Walking to Running
In the running test, CL-1 adjusted its pace accordingly, executing a comprehensive set of movements from an idle start to a full sprint and halting, delivering greater running strides and exemplifying the full potential of its dynamic abilities.
Overcoming the challenge of humanoid robot running entails addressing the following key issues:
— Extended gait cycles with significant center of mass shifts demands high-performing motion planning.
— The necessity for both feet to be airborne concurrently complicates the state estimation of the robot.
— Synchronize full-body coordination.
— High-powered hardware with an emphasis on stability features actuators with elevated power density and reinforced structural integrity to withstand impacts.
Confronting these hurdles, LimX Dynamics’ R&D trayectory focuses on two main directions: full-body motion control algorithms and hardware systems.
— Systematically understanding and analysing the control mechanism behind running, the team develops general and scalable motion control algorithms.
— By integrating data from simulations, experiments, and real-world testing, the team determines the performance specifics of the overall robot system, defining the technical roadmap and design for the hardware system.
As research and development progresses, LimX Dynamics’ humanoid robot CL-1 will move forward to integrating real-time terrain perception with Reinforcement Learning (RL), bringing more innovation and breakthroughs.
