Creating machines that move as agilely and adaptively as animals in our world has been a persistent control challenge for roboticists. Effective bipedal control must both reconcile the complex multibody dynamics of robots while thinking quickly how to respond and adapt to changing environments and scenarios. We present control algorithms for capturing the agility, efficiency, robustness, and adaptability of biological locomotors and showcase results on dynamic mobile robots from bipeds to UAVs to all-terrain UGVs. Specifically, our group uses a variety of optimization techniques to generate and adapt behaviors on-the-fly (>100Hz). Further, our portfolio of techniques points toward a unifying risk-based control framework that rapidly and autonomously reprioritizes locomotion during robot operation. We believe that this fast and emergent prioritization is critical for real-world-reliable mobile robots -- allowing robots to, literally and metaphorically, think on their feet.

Bio:

Christian Hubicki is an Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering.  His group’s research at the Optimal Robotics Laboratory specializes in legged robotics, applied optimal control, biomechanical modeling, and fast algorithms for adaptive robot behaviors. He earned both his bachelor's and master’s degrees in mechanical engineering from Bucknell University, earned his dual-degree PhD in Robotics and Mechanical Engineering at Oregon State University, and completed his postdoctoral work in the Mechanical Engineering and Physics departments at the Georgia Institute of Technology. His research awards include a Best Technical Paper Finalist at ICRA 2016, Best Paper Winner in 2019 from IEEE Robotics and Automation Magazine, Outstanding Locomotion Paper Winner at ICRA 2022, and a Young Faculty Researcher Grant from the Toyota Research Institute in 2021. His work has been featured at the National Academy of Engineering’s Gilbreth Lecture Series, the TEDx lecture series, and in media outlets from the Science Channel to CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.”