Project Database
This page contains the database of possible research projects for master and bachelor students in the Biorobotics Laboratory (BioRob). Visiting students are also welcome to join BioRob, but it should be noted that no funding is offered for those projects (see https://biorob.epfl.ch/students/ for instructions). To enroll for a project, please directly contact one of the assistants (directly in his/her office, by phone or by mail). Spontaneous propositions for projects are also welcome, if they are related to the research topics of BioRob, see the BioRob Research pages and the results of previous student projects.
Search filter: only projects matching the keyword Learning are shown here. Remove filter
Amphibious robotics
Computational Neuroscience
Dynamical systems
Human-exoskeleton dynamics and control
Humanoid robotics
Miscellaneous
Mobile robotics
Modular robotics
Neuro-muscular modelling
Quadruped robotics
Quadruped robotics
A small excerpt of possible projects is listed here. Highly interested students may also propose projects, or continue an existing topic.
| 769 – Learning Morphology-Specific Emergence of Gaits |
| Category: | master project (full-time) | |
| Keywords: | Biomimicry, Computational Neuroscience, Learning, Python, Simulator | |
| Type: | 20% theory, 80% software | |
| Responsible: | (MED 1 1226, phone: 32658) | |
| Description: | Why do horses and and camels both walk at slow speeds and gallop at fast speeds, but at intermediate speeds horses prefer to trot while camels pace? While gait transitions have been well studied for a given morphology, these models rarely explain when and why animals prefer different or gaits despite being quite similar, or the same gaits despite having very different morphologies. This project tackles this question through the lens of reinforcement learning (RL), with a focus on the role of entrainment between an internal oscillator model and the mechanical dynamics, i.e the morphology. You will explore both top-down and bottom-up coupling mechanisms, unconventional reward functions such as viability measures, and benchmark these approaches across different morphological parameters (e.g length-to-height and width-to-height ratios, mass). Stretch goals can include evaluating the role of active exploration in a hierarchical RL setup, exploring sprawling or bipedal morphologies, changing morphology during learning (e.g. growth), or you may propose something in discussion with the supervisors. NOTE: this is a collaboration project, to be conducted at Cornell University, USA. To apply, e-mail Steve Heim stating why you are interested in this project (brief, 1-2 sentences each), and attach your CV and transcript. | |
One project found.