COMTEST Project: A Complete Modular Test Stand for Human and Humanoid Posture Control and Balance

Abstract: This work presents a system to benchmark humanoid posture control and balance performances under perturbed conditions. The specific benchmarking scenario consists, for example, of balancing upright stance while performing voluntary movements on moving surfaces. The system includes a motion platform used to provide the perturbation, an innovative body-tracking system suitable for robots, humans and exoskeletons, control software and a set of predefined perturbations, a humanoid robot used to test algorithms, and analysis software providing state of the art data analysis used to provide quantitative measures of performance. In order to provide versatility, the design of the system is oriented to modularity: all its components can be replaced or extended according to experimental needs, adding additional perturbation profiles, new evaluation principles, and alternative tracking systems. It will be possible to use the system with different kinds of robots and exoskeletons as well as for human experiments aimed at gaining insights into human balance capabilities.