Control Algorithm for a Biped Robot Based on

Servo-Motors Controlled by an Android Application

Chavez Ariel, Fernandez Andrea, Machado Luis, Revelo Jefferson
July 10th, 2015
knows the enormous complexity of designing a robotic system, as may become a robot
arm, which has 6 DOF. In the case of a humanoid robots that fact go even further, as
there are systems with more than 30 DOF,
which gives the system a high mobility but
this require a high computational load in
the control system. This implies a high cost
in most bipedal robotic systems designed
until these days.

Abstract
This paper presents the control of a bipedal robotic platform.
The design presented is capable
of forward movement, the robot is
able to walk repetitively, also detects and dodges obstacles. Also
presents a control algorithm that
activate the kick secuence. The
robot can be controlled in two
ways: manually or automatically
with an Android application. To
obtain these movements has been
implemented a basic control system, determined by a generator
of movement patterns. The main
objective to be pursued with the
design of this robot is to get a robust electronic platform.

In general, a bipedal locomotion system

consists of several members that are interconnected with actuated joints. In essence,
a man walking robot is nothing more than a
robotic manipulator with a detachable and
moving base. The design of bipedal robots
has been largely influenced by the most sophisticated and versatile biped known to
man, the man himself. Therefore, most
of the models/machines developed bear a
1. INTRODUCTION
strong resemblance to the human body. AlIn recent years it has been noted how most any model or machine can be characrobotics has begun to cease to belong ex- terized as having two lower limbs that are
clusively to the industrial world, push out connected through a central member.
into the daily life of people. The robotic
starts to open a large number of possibilAlthough the complexity of the system
ities, such as virtual pets, micro-cleaning depends on the number of degrees of freerobots, etc.; limited only by the human ca- dom, the existence of feet structures,upper
pacity to carry them out. One possibility, limbs, etc., it is widely known that even
which for decades man has imagined, but extremely simple unactuated systems can
could not carry out until a few years ago, generate ambulatory motion.
has been performing a robot with movements like a human, with the same or very
similar motion characteristics. Everyone
Thus, this paper presents a design of
1

the lower extremities of a biped robot with

The robot has the ability to mobilize
a robotic system of low cost and high inter- their ankles, knees and hips, right and left,
connection capacity.
controlling the motors of each ankle.

2. BIPED ROBOT DESIGN

Bipedal robotics platform used was
called by its manufacturer as BRAT
meaning Bipedal Robotic Articulating
Transport, it has six degrees of frees (6
DOF); two ankles: right and left, two on
his knees: right and left and two on its
hips: right and left.

Fig.2: Ankles move

The robot moves its knees sideways, and

have big feets to give better stability while
it makes the walking routines.

Fig.1: Degrees of freedom of the biped robot

This bipedal platform has a basic similarity to the human structure, it is constructed of anodized aluminum.
The
bipedal platform has the ability to make
several moves: move forward, turn left or
right as basic moves, being able to perform
several routines movements. It presents a
great stability because the robot support
surface has a large area, compared to the
length of his legs. This robot can detect
obstacles using an ultrasonic sensor.

Fig.3: Knees move

2.1. Degrees of Freedom(DOF)

The degrees of freedom that owns the
platform are generated by six servomotors
(HS-422) to move each of the joints: ankle,
knee, hip, both left and right.
Fig.4: Hips move

Materials and devices used will be shown

in the next chapter.

3. HARDWARE
Bipedal platform called BRAT has two
operating modes: manual mode, where the
robot is controlled by an Android application, and automatic mode, in which the
robot is not led by any user.

Fig.7: Servo-motor HITEC HS-244

To detect objects at a distance under 20

ATMEGA8 microprocessor is used as cm, the robot uses an ultrasonic sensor.
the robots brain. This microprocessor handles all the peripherals that owns the platform such as servo motors, ultrasonic sensor
and also perform Bluetooth communication
with an Android device.

Fig.8: Ultrasonic sensor

To communicate the bipedal platform

with the Android application a Bluetooth
module was used.

Fig.5: ATMEGA8

ATtiny 13A microcontroller was chosen

for the task of sensing the distance with the
ultrasonic sensor, and to uncouple the motion control program and the obstacle detection program.

Fig.9: HC-05 Bluetooth

4. DEVELOPMENT OF CONTROL
PROGRAM
Fig.6: ATtiny 13A

Both,
the
principal
microcontroller(Atmega8), that was used for control
For articular movements six actuators the biped; and microcontroller ATtiny, used
are used, which allow different movement for control the ultrasonic sensor; were proroutines.
grammed in ATMEL STUDIO 6.2, while
3

the application for wireless communication

was developed in App Inventor.
The schematic diagram of the control
circuit shown in the picture below, shows
the connection of motors, ultrasonic sensor
and bluetooth.

Fig.11: Android application

To understand the control program,

main loop program flow chart are shown below. This show the different funtions that
have the biped robot, like serial comunication, detection of obstacles, motors control
and the main program

Fig.10: Control circuit diagram

The control program is performed with

4 subroutines contained in tables. There is
a table to walk, another to turn right, one
to turn left and the last one allows kicking.
When ultrasonic sensor detects an obstacle at a distance of 20 cm, sends a 1L signal
to the main microcontroller, this makes the
robot interrupted its walk and turn.
The interface developed for robot control allows to select two modes of operation,
manual and automatic; in manual mode has
options like walking, turn right, turn left
and kick. The microcontroller receives a
command to select any of these options and
reacts to the order received.
Android application is shown in figure
below

Fig.12: Main progam loop

First , we created a table of sequences that

allow the robot to perform different actions
after that we configure the timers, the USART and interruptions . We check if the
user wishes to work in manual or automatic
mode , and depending on this, the orders
are executed.

Fig.14: Obstacle detection routine

Fig.13: Timer interrupt routine

The timer interrupt routine has a counter

which is incresed and the pulse width of each
PWM is verified, when the pulse width is
greater than the pulse width set the pin is
put in 0L.

Fig.15: Serial comunication routine

5.3. Biped kicking

Fig.16: Ultrasonic sensor flowchart

5. RESULTS

Fig.19: Biped kicking.

5.1. Biped walking

6. CONCLUSIONS
The robot varies his rotation time depending of the surface on which the robot
is walking, in rough surfaces rotates faster
than on smooth surfaces , in the last ones
the robot starts to skid , for this reason it
takes longer to turn. Likewise, the walking
is much better on a roughened surface than
in a smooth surface .

It was possible to get the target set to

develop an automatic mode with motion
detection and obstacle avoidance.
Fig.17: Biped walking

An influential factor was the development of the motion sequences including the
weight of the batteries, as these cause the
center of mass of the robot varies differently.

5.2. Biped turning

The power consumption of the actuators

is considerable, so it was decided to use an
independent source for the microcontroller,
in order to avoid brownouts that reset the
control system.

BIOGRAPHY
Fig.18: Biped turning

Ch
avez Ariel:

eas of interest: Industries systems, domotic, robotics and microcontrolled sistems

He was born in
Ba
nos - Ecuador. He
completed his secondary education at
the San Alfonso high
school. He studies
at the National Polytechnic School career
in Electronics and
Control Engineering.
He qualified Adequacy CEC. Areas of interest:
robotics, computer science, micro controllers,
industrial automation and control.

Revelo Jefferson: He was born

in Ibarra - Ecuador.
He completed his
secondary education
at Technic San Jose
hihg school.He studies at EPN Electronic and Control
engineering. Areas
of interest: Industries systems and security systems.

Fern
andez
Andrea: she was
born in Tabacundo Ecuador. She completed her secondary
education at the Instituto Tecnologico
Superior Nelson Torres. She studies at
the National Polytechnic School career in Electronics
and Control Engineering. She qualified Adequacy CEC. Areas of interest: computer science, microcontrollers, industrial automation
and control.

References
[1] Atmega8 Datasheet
[2] Herrera Marco,Ensamblaje y Control
de una plataforma Bpeda mediante un
PC,Quito, 2009
[3] Candelas
Francisco,Servomotores,
Universidad de Alicante, 2007
[4] Seungmoon Song,Joohyung Kim, and
Katsu Yamane,Development of a
Bipedal Robot that Walks Like an
Animation Character

Machado
Luis:
He was

[5] Announced Specification of HS-422

Standard Deluxe Servo

born in Guaranda
- Ecuador .
He
completed his secondary education at
the Colegio Centenario Nacional Pedro
Carbo. He qualified
Adequacy CEC. He
studies
Electronic
and Control engineering at EPN. Ar-

[6] Announced Specification of HS-311

Standard Deluxe Servo
[7] Vaidyanathan.V.T and Sivaramakrishnan.R,
Design,
Fabrication
and Analysis of Bipedal Walking
Robot,Department of Production
Technology, Madras Institute of
Technology, Anna University, INDIA