Muhammad E Abdallah

US Patent:

8056423, Nov 15, 2011

Filed:

Nov 12, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/269552

Inventors:

Muhammad E. Abdallah - Houston TX, US
Lyndon Bridgwater - Houston TX, US
Myron A. Diftler - Houston TX, US
Douglas Martin Linn - White Lake MI, US
Robert Platt - Houston TX, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01N 3/08

US Classification:

73826

Abstract:

A technique that determines the tension in a tendon using a conduit reaction force applied to an end of a conduit through which the tendon is threaded. Any suitable tendon tension sensor can be employed that uses the conduit reaction force for this purpose. In one non-limiting embodiment, the tendon tension sensor includes a cylindrical strain gauge element and a force member mounted to an end of the conduit. The force member includes a cylindrical portion having a bore and a plate portion, where the cylindrical portion is inserted into a bore in the strain gauge element. The tendon is threaded through the strain gauge element and the force member. A strain gauge is mounted to the strain gauge element and measures the reaction force when tension on the tendon causes the strain gauge element to be pushed against the force member.

US Patent:

8060250, Nov 15, 2011

Filed:

Dec 15, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/335153

Inventors:

Matthew J. Reiland - Oxford MI, US
Robert Platt - Houston TX, US
Muhammad E. Abdallah - Houston TX, US
Brian Hargrave - Dickerson TX, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 19/00

US Classification:

700245, 901 2, 901 11, 901 14, 901 19, 901 21, 901 29

Abstract:

A system and method for controlling tendon-driven manipulators that provide a closed-loop control of joint torques or joint impedances without inducing dynamic coupling between joints. The method includes calculating tendon reference positions or motor commands by projecting a torque error into tendon position space using a single linear operation. The method calculates this torque error using sensed tendon tensions and a reference torque and internal tension. The method can be used to control joint impedance by calculating the reference torque based on a joint position error. The method limits minimum and maximum tendon tensions by projecting the torque error into the tendon tension space and then projecting ii back into joint space.

US Patent:

8145354, Mar 27, 2012

Filed:

Oct 14, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/904990

Inventors:

Ambarish Goswami - Fremont CA, US
Muhammad E. Abdallah - Houston TX, US

Assignee:

Honda Motor Co., Ltd. - Tokyo

International Classification:

G05B 19/04

US Classification:

700250, 700245, 700254, 700260, 700261, 31856812, 31856817, 31856818

Abstract:

Systems and methods are presented that enable a legged robot to maintain its balance when subjected to an unexpected force. In the reflex phase, the robot withstands the immediate effect of the force by yielding to it. In one embodiment, during the reflex phase, the control system determines an instruction that will cause the robot to perform a movement that generates a negative rate of change of the robot's angular momentum at its centroid in a magnitude large enough to compensate for the destabilizing effect of the force. In the recovery phase, the robot recovers its posture after having moved during the reflex phase. In one embodiment, the robot returns to a statically stable upright posture that maximizes the robot's potential energy. In one embodiment, during the recovery phase, the control system determines an instruction that will cause the robot to perform a movement that increases its potential energy.

US Patent:

8170718, May 1, 2012

Filed:

Dec 18, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/338697

Inventors:

Muhammad E. Abdallah - Houston TX, US
Matthew J. Reiland - Oxford MI, US
Robert Platt - Houston TX, US
Brian Hargrave - Dickenson TX, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 19/00

US Classification:

700245, 700250, 700253, 700254, 700255

Abstract:

A system and method for providing multiple priority impedance control for a robot manipulator where impedance laws are realized simultaneously and with a given order of priority. The method includes a control scheme for realizing a Cartesian space impedance objective as a first priority while also realizing a joint space impedance objective as a second priority. The method also includes a control scheme for realizing two Cartesian space impedance objectives with different levels of priority. The method includes instances of the control schemes that use feedback from force sensors mounted at an end-effector and other instances of the control schemes that do not use this feedback.

US Patent:

8260460, Sep 4, 2012

Filed:

Sep 22, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/564096

Inventors:

Adam M. Sanders - Holly MI, US
Matthew J. Reiland - Oxford MI, US
Muhammad E. Abdallah - Houston TX, US
Douglas Martin Linn - White Lake MI, US
Robert Platt - Houston TX, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 19/00
G05B 19/04

US Classification:

700245

Abstract:

A robotic system includes a robot having joints, actuators, and sensors, and a distributed controller. The controller includes command-level controller, embedded joint-level controllers each controlling a respective joint, and a joint coordination-level controller coordinating motion of the joints. A central data library (CDL) centralizes all control and feedback data, and a user interface displays a status of each joint, actuator, and sensor using the CDL. A parameterized action sequence has a hierarchy of linked events, and allows the control data to be modified in real time. A method of controlling the robot includes transmitting control data through the various levels of the controller, routing all control and feedback data to the CDL, and displaying status and operation of the robot using the CDL. The parameterized action sequences are generated for execution by the robot, and a hierarchy of linked events is created within the sequence.

US Patent:

8364314, Jan 29, 2013

Filed:

Nov 24, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/624445

Inventors:

Muhammad E Abdallah - Houston TX, US
Robert Platt - Houston TX, US
Matthew J Reiland - Oxford MI, US
Adam M Sanders - Holly MI, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 19/00

US Classification:

700264, 901 30

Abstract:

A robotic system includes a humanoid robot having a plurality of joints adapted for force control with respect to an object acted upon by the robot, a graphical user interface (GUI) for receiving an input signal from a user, and a controller. The GUI provides the user with intuitive programming access to the controller. The controller controls the joints using an impedance-based control framework, which provides object level, end-effector level, and/or joint space-level control of the robot in response to the input signal. A method for controlling the robotic system includes receiving the input signal via the GUI, e. g. , a desired force, and then processing the input signal using a host machine to control the joints via an impedance-based control framework. The framework provides object level, end-effector level, and/or joint space-level control of the robot, and allows for functional-based GUI to simplify implementation of a myriad of operating modes.

US Patent:

8412376, Apr 2, 2013

Filed:

Mar 10, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/720725

Inventors:

Muhammad E. Abdallah - Houston TX, US
Robert Platt - Cambridge MA, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

G06F 19/00
B25J 15/08

US Classification:

700245, 700250, 700260, 901 2, 901 11, 901 14, 901 19, 901 21, 901 29, 901 32, 901 39

Abstract:

A method is provided for distributing tension among tendons of a tendon-driven finger in a robotic system, wherein the finger characterized by n degrees of freedom and n+1 tendons. The method includes determining a maximum functional tension and a minimum functional tension of each tendon of the finger, and then using a controller to distribute tension among the tendons, such that each tendon is assigned a tension value less than the maximum functional tension and greater than or equal to the minimum functional tension. The method satisfies the minimum functional tension while minimizing the internal tension in the robotic system, and satisfies the maximum functional tension without introducing a coupled disturbance to the joint torques. A robotic system includes a robot having at least one tendon-driven finger characterized by n degrees of freedom and n+1 tendons, and a controller having an algorithm for controlling the tendons as set forth above.

US Patent:

8412378, Apr 2, 2013

Filed:

Dec 2, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/629637

Inventors:

Muhammad E. Abdallah - Houston TX, US
Robert Platt - Houston TX, US

Assignee:

GM Global Technology Operations LLC - Detroit MI
The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration - Washington DC

International Classification:

G05B 19/04
G05B 19/18

US Classification:

700254, 700245, 700253

Abstract:

A method for calibrating tension sensors on tendons in a tendon-driven manipulator without disassembling the manipulator and without external force references. The method calibrates the tensions against each other to produce results that are kinematically consistent. The results might not be absolutely accurate, however, they are optimized with respect to an initial or nominal calibration. The method includes causing the tendons to be slack and recording the sensor values from sensors that measure the tension on the tendons. The method further includes tensioning the tendons with the manipulator positioned so that it is not in contact with any obstacle or joint limit and again recording the sensor values. The method then performs a regression process to determine the sensor parameters that both satisfy a zero-torque constraint on the manipulator and minimize the error with respect to nominal calibration values.