• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.989-992
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• 2004

In general, it is known that walking stability of a quadruped is determined by its COG(Center of Gravity). In this paper, in order to know whether our virtual quadruped robot is applicable to the real quadruped robot, we simulated our virtual model using the data from the real robot‘s walking. We were able to evaluate the stride of quadruped based on direct and inverse kinematics and compared the stride of the simulation with real robot’s it. During the simulation we calculated the COG of the virtual model and evaluated the walking stability of real model.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.1044-1051
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• 2004

This paper described a novel locomotion interface that can generate infinite floor for various surface, named as virtual walking machine. This interface allows users to participate in a life-like walking experience in virtual environments, which include various terrains such as plains, slopes and stair ground surfaces. The interface is composed of two three-DOF (X, Y, Yaw) planar devices and two four-DOF (Pitch, Roll, Z, and relative rotation) footpads. The planar devices are driven by AC servomotors for generating fast motions, while the footpad devices are driven by pneumatic actuators for continuous support of human weight. To simulate natural human walking, the locomotion interface design specification are acquired based on gait analysis and each mechanism is optimally designed and manufactured to satisfy the given requirements. The designed locomotion interface allows natural walking(step: 0.8m, height: 20cm, load capability: 100kg, slope:30deg) for various terrains.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.12 no.9
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• pp.926-934
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• 2006

This paper proposes intelligent control of a virtual walking machine that can generate infinite floor for various surfaces and can provide proprioceptive feedback of walking to a user. This machine allows users to participate in a life-like walking experience in virtual environments with various terrains. The controller of the machine is implemented hierarchically, at low-level for robust actuator control, at mid-level fur platform control to compensate the external forces by foot contact, and at high-level control for generating walking trajectory. The high level controller is suggested to generate continuous walking on an infinite floor for various terrains. For the high level control, each independent platform follows a man foot during the swing phase, while the other platform moves back during single stance phase. During double limb support, two platforms manipulate neutral positions to compensate the offset errors generated by velocity changes. This control can, therefore, satisfy natural walking conditions in any direction. Transition phase between the swing and the stance phases is detected by using simple switch sensor system, while human foot motions are sensed by careful calibration with a magnetic motion tracker attached to the shoe. Experimental results of walking simulations at level ground, slope, and stairs, show that with the proposed machine, a general person can walk naturally on various terrains with safety and without any considerable disturbances. This interface can be applied to various areas such as VR navigations, rehabilitation, and gait analysis.

• Educational Technology International
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.125-153
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• 2020

The advancement of virtual reality technology offers various locomotion options that support users' navigation behaviors in a virtual reality environment. This study was aimed at examining the effects of two navigation methods-joystick-controlling and walking-around-on users' perceived usability, behavioral engagement, and virtual presence. Fifty South Korean college students were recruited in the study, and they were assigned randomly to one of the two navigation conditions. Participants from each group were asked to observe a 3D object and complete the surveys. They were then asked to repeat the procedure with a 2D image. Using repeated-measures ANOVAs and MANOVA, we found that users using joystick-controlling reported higher usability and showed superior performance to the walking-around group on two tasks. Participants reported a higher behavioral engagement when observing the 2D image. Besides, they perceived a significantly higher virtual presence when observing the 2D image. Finally, we discussed the implications of the findings for the navigation method design.

• Journal of KIISE:Computing Practices and Letters
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.358-366
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• 2006

This paper describes a novel navigation algorithm using a locomotion interface with two 6-DOF programmable foot platforms. When a human walks on the locomotion interface (LI), the walking motions of the human are recognized by several sensors. Then, the sensed information is used by the LI for generation of infinite surfaces for continuous walking and the virtual environments for scene update according to motions of the human walking. The suggested novel navigation system can induce user's real walking and generate realistic visual feedback during navigation. A novel navigation algorithm is suggested to allow natural navigation in virtual environments by utilizing conditions of normal gait analysis. For realistic visual feedback, the virtual environment is designed with three components; 3D object modeler for buildings and terrains, scene manager and communication manager component. From experiments, the subjects were satisfied with the reality of the suggested navigation algorithm using the locomotion interface. Therefore, the suggested navigation system can allow a user to explore into various virtual terrains with real walking and realistic visual feedback.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.2211-2216
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• 2005

This paper describes a novel navigation algorithm using a locomotion interface with two 6-DOF parallel robotic manipulators. The suggested novel navigation system can induce user's real walking and generate realistic visual feedback during navigation, using robotic manipulators. For realistic visual feedback, the virtual environment is designed with three components; 3D object modeler for buildings and terrains, scene manager and communication manager component. The walking velocity of the user is directly translated to VR actions for navigation. Finally, the functions of the RPC interface are utilized for each interaction mode. The suggested navigation system can allow a user to explore into various virtual terrains with real walking and realistic visual feedback.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.1787-1792
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• 2016

Previous walking pattern generation methods could generate walking patterns that allow only straight walking on flat and uneven terrain. They were unable to generate modifiable walking patterns whereby the sagittal and lateral step lengths and walking direction can be changed at every footstep. This paper proposes a novel walking pattern generation method to realize modifiable walking of humanoid robots on unknown uneven terrain. The proposed method employs a walking pattern generator based on the 3-D linear inverted pendulum model (LIPM), which enables a humanoid robot to vary its walking patterns at every footstep. A control strategy for walking on unknown uneven terrain is proposed. Virtual spring-damper (VSD) models are used to compensate for the disturbances that occur between the robot and the terrain when the robot walks on uneven terrain with unknown height. In addition, methods for generating the foot and vertical center of mass (COM) of the 3-D LIPM trajectories are developed to realize stable walking on unknown uneven terrain. The proposed method is implemented on a small-sized humanoid robot platform, DARwIn-OP and its effectiveness is demonstrated experimentally.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.79-90
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• 2020

The inconsistency in different sensory information causes virtual reality (VR) sickness. This research verifies whether the consistent sensory information reduces VR sickness within treadmill-based virtual reality. Furthermore, we examined the inconsistency between the visually perceived walking speed by optical flow in VR and the physically perceived walking speed in treadmill walking on VR sickness. In Experiment 1, participants reported VR sickness levels while experiencing an increase in the virtual reality. We compared the VR sickness level reported on the standing still condition with that on the treadmill-walking condition. Based on our results, less VR sickness and more sense of presence and immersion were reported on the treadmill-walking condition than on the standing still condition. In Experiment 2 and Experiment 3, the effect of inconsistency between perceived visual speed and perceived walking speed on VR sickness was examined. Interestingly, participants reported less sickness when the perceived visual speed was faster than the perceived walking speed, compared to when the sense of speed was consistent. These results imply that allowing participants to walk on a treadmill while experiencing virtual reality reduces VR sickness. Hence, the perceived visual-walking speed consistency is not necessarily required to reduce VR sickness.

• Transactions of the Korean Society for Noise and Vibration Engineering
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.907-911
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• 2007

Compliance of joints must be considered when we analyze dynamics of a multi-body system. If the virtual model for CAE(computer aided engineering) analysis does not consider compliance, the result of CAE analysis can be very different from the actual experimental result. Especially in a biped walking robot, the robot may lose walking stability due to the compliance in joints of a walking robot. This paper proposed a method applying a compliance of joints in the biped walking robot to a virtual model. Also, through the 3-D displacement measurement using a laser tracker, it was demonstrated that the virtual model considering the joint compliance could effectively simulate the nonlinear motion of the real model.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.16 no.4 s.97
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• pp.138-147
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• 1999

For autonomous navigation, a legged robot should be able to walk over irregular terrain and adapt itself to variation of supporting surface. Walking through slope is one of the typical tasks for such case. Robot needs not only to change foot trajectory but also to adjust its configuration to the slope angle for maintaining stability against gravity. This paper suggests such adaptation algorithm for stable walking which uses feedback of reaction forces at feet. Adjusting algorithm of foot trajectory was studied with the estimated angel of slope without visual feedback. A concept of virtual slope angle was introduced to adjust body configuration against slope change of the supporting terrain. Regeneration of foot trajectory also used this concept for maintaining its stable walking against unexpected landing point.