flight-controllers-stable

Flight Controllers Stable

Simulink flight controllers for simulations with iRonCub-Mk1 and iRonCub-Mk1_1.

All controllers are developed and tested on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

Content

• controlAndDataGui: a couple of GUIs for the robot control and data visualization in simulation.

• matlab-functions-lib: MATLAB functions and scripts shared by all controllers.

• momentum-based-flight-sim-gazebo: this Simulink model implements the flight controller presented in [1], [2]. It works in simulation in combination with Gazebo.

• momentum-based-flight-sim-no-gazebo: this Simulink model implements the flight controller presented in [1], [2]. It is self-contained in MATLAB, and does not require Gazebo to run.

Usage

Gazebo Simulations

It is assumed that all dependencies have been correctly installed. The procedure is tested on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

Before starting: set the YARP_ROBOT_NAME env. variable in your .bashrc file to be the iRonCub robot name, e.g.:

export YARP_ROBOT_NAME=iRonCub-Mk1_1_Gazebo 

or

export YARP_ROBOT_NAME=iRonCub-Mk1_Gazebo

1. open a terminal and run:

yarpserver

or

yarpserver --write

if your IP changed.

2. open a terminal and run:

gazebo -slibgazebo_yarp_clock.so.

If you have correctly configured the iRonCub world, you may run also:

gazebo -slibgazebo_yarp_clock.so iRonCub_Mk1_1_world 

(world for iRonCub-Mk1_1).

3. if not using the Gazebo world file: go in the folder home-poses, then open a terminal and run:

yarpmotorgui --from homePoseiRonCub_Gazebo.ini

It should open the GUI for joints control of iRonCub. Then in the top left menu, select Global Joints Commands/Custom Positions/Move All Parts to <MY HOME POSITION> (e.g. flyPosition_Gazebo).

4. open a terminal and run:

yarprobotinterface --config launch-wholebodydynamics-iRonCub.xml

5. should not be necessary anymore: open another terminal and run (only once, unless you restart wholebodydynamics at the point 4):

yarp rpc /wholeBodyDynamics/rpc` and then `resetOffset all`.

6. open MATLAB. Go to the flight-controllers-stable folder, select the iRonCub controller you would like to use and open the associated Simulink .mdl file. Then press play and run the simulation.

   6a) The model can be interfaced with a joypad or with a MATLAB GUI. To Activate/deactivate the GUI check the init file. In the init file there are also other useful options to set your simulation.

   6b) If you are using the joypad you also need to run in a terminal the command (after physically connecting the joypad to your pc):

   yarpdev --device JoypadControlServer --use_separate_ports 1 --period 10 --name /joypadDevice/xbox --subdevice SDLJoypad --sticks 0
   

   It assumes that you have installed the joypad dependencies, more info here.

   6c) To perform gain tuning and optimize the performances of your controller, check e.g. the parameters in this file.

Matlab Simulations

Provided that all dependencies have been successfully installed, just open the file and run the controller. WARNING: bacause of its dependency to matlab-whole-body-simulator library, the required Matlab version depends on the supported version in mwbs (currently, R2022b).

Cite this work

@ARTICLE{7997895,
  author={Pucci, Daniele and Traversaro, Silvio and Nori, Francesco},
  journal={IEEE Robotics and Automation Letters}, 
  title={Momentum Control of an Underactuated Flying Humanoid Robot}, 
  year={2018},
  volume={3},
  number={1},
  pages={195-202},
  doi={10.1109/LRA.2017.2734245}}

@INPROCEEDINGS{8624985,
  author={Nava, Gabriele and Fiorio, Luca and Traversaro, Silvio and Pucci, Daniele},
  booktitle={2018 IEEE-RAS 18th International Conference on Humanoid Robots (Humanoids)}, 
  title={Position and Attitude Control of an Underactuated Flying Humanoid Robot}, 
  year={2018},
  volume={},
  number={},
  pages={1-9},
  doi={10.1109/HUMANOIDS.2018.8624985}}