Coordinator: Prof. Gordon Cheng

The objective of this project is to enable humanoid robots to walk over uneven and narrow terrains that has not been possible with ankle joint torque-force sensors (on standard humanoid robot) to date. If humanoid robots are to be used more in environments made for human beings, they need to be able to walk, balance on various kinds of ground and surfaces. Only this approach can ensure a smooth integration of robotic systems in the human environment.

eXprt - Exoskeleton and Wearables Enhanced Prevention and Treatment

Coordinator: Prof. Gordon Cheng and Prof. Joachim Hermsdörfer

The Innovation Network eXprt brings together a multidisciplinary team to create a synergy of engineering, neuroscience, and clinical neurology to develop wearable technologies. The project provides tools to sensitively identify sensorimotor and cognitive impairments in everyday life. Through the power of neuroengineering, the results of eXprt will efficiently compensate for lost motor function and, therefore, prevent deterioration and improve the quality of life of individuals in need.

Computational Models of Multisensory Integration by Upper Limb in Humanoids and Amputees (COMMI)

Coordinated project with the Johns Hopkins University (Prof. Nitish V. Thakor)

COMMI's goal is to equip the prosthetic and humanoid hands with tactile and temperature sensors at the fingertip. We will use electro-cutaneous feedback to show that an amputee can discriminate the two information streams and a natural action. Analogously, the humanoid at TUM will do the same in a reflexive control system.

TUM IAS Hans Fischer Senior Fellow (awarded by the Siemens AG) Prof. Nitish Thakor

Focus Group on “Giving Sensation, Perception and Cognition to Robotics – Inspirations from Neuroengineering Approaches” will invent the next generation bio/human inspired sensors and sensor encoding system, and human hand-like prosthesis and robotic manipulators.

Brain-To-Sound Computer Interfaces: Neurofeedback of Music for Entertainment, Interaction and Neurorehabilitation

Connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV) could play a key role in granting sustainable and afford-able mobility on societal scale. To exploit the disruptive potential of CAV responsibly, it is vital for the technology-induced change to be socially rooted. Hence, we aim at investigating how individual and system inherent factors influence trust in and willingness to relinquish control to CAV. Beyond that, we want to explore philosophical and ethical questions stemming from the new dimensions of trust and control opened up by the interaction with objects to which human qualities like “intelligence” or “fallibility” are being attributed.

Coordinator: Hochschule Coburg

Open Walker is a Focused Technical Project (FTP) in the ROSIN project, funded by the EU in the H2020 program. OpenWalker’s aim is to satisfy the necessity of a framework for balance and walking controllers, and to easily adapt to any biped robot architecture. OpenWalker will provide the tools for developers and contributors to implement their own walking controllers without having to create the whole framework for every robot they use thus reducing implementation time. Partner in the project is PAL Robotics.

ROSIN aims to create a collection of open-source, quality-assured software components for real-world robot applications1. Its starting points are the existing ROS-Industrial framework and community. One of the instruments used by ROSIN to progress towards the stated goal consists in the concept of Focused Technical Projects (FTPs).

TUM IAS Hans Fischer Senior Fellow Prof. Takao Someya, Focus Group on Artificial Electronic Skin

The Focus Group on Artificial Electronic Skin aims at the implementation of a novel paradigm that could lead to important advances in robotics. This research pursues the creation of an artificial electronic skin that imitates the properties of human skin using innovative fabrication techniques of printed electronics.