Key Milestones

The work within the ESBiRRo proposal is scheduled for 36 months. There are clearly marked Milestones as key decision points during the project life cycle. Milestones are control points at which decisions are needed; for example concerning which of several technologies will be adopted as the basis for the next phase of the project:

  1. Decision on hardware setup (DoF, actuators, sensors):
    This milestone placed at the 11 month will result from the iterative definition and simulation work on WP1 and WP2. The specifications of the biped walker concept in terms of Degrees of Freedom at each joint, actuator types and requirements (max torque, power) and sensors.

  2. Complete models of Limit Cycle bipeds both robotic and human-robotic (exoskeleton) with control, sensing and actuation:
    Once M-I decisions are completed the models of Limit cycle bipeds will be finalised (month 13). Final decisions regarding the models and its level of detail will be made at this point.

  3. Biped able to resist to gait perturbations:
    walk over irregularities larger than 3mm, stumbles during mid-swing of 200 ms and pushes of 5% of the biped weight: Another milestone is placed on the month 21 of the project with respect to the definition of the perturbations that the biped model should be able to overcome.

  4. Decision on the integration of LC and recovery strategies on the prototypes:
    Once defined the two strategies for normal gait based on the LC and to recover from different perturbations (previously defined) it should be decided on the details of the physical implementation on both the biped walking robot and the robotic exoskeleton.

  5. Functional robot prototype:
    It is expected to have a biped robot prototype on the month 30, if this prototype is functional it will proceed to be fully validated and tested. It must be noted that there might be some risk for the robot in case of a fall.

  6. Functional active robotic exoskeleton prototype:
    It is expected to have a robotic biped exoskeleton prototype on the month 33, if this prototype is functional it will proceed to be validated and tested with a few number of healthy subjects, it must be noted that there is a low falling risk that will be addressed by means of safety measures with the review and approval of a relevant ethical committee.

  7. Evaluation of the ESBiRRo and associated concepts with regards to commercial interests:
    This will take place at months 12, 24 and 36 (at the end of the project).