Robot learns to flip pancakes

The video shows a Barrett WAM 7 DOFs manipulator learning to flip pancakes by reinforcement learning.
The motion is encoded in a mixture of basis force fields through an extension of Dynamic Movement Primitives (DMP) that represents the synergies across the different variables through stiffness matrices. An Inverse Dynamics controller with variable stiffness is used for reproduction.

The skill is first demonstrated via kinesthetic teaching, and then refined by Policy learning by Weighting Exploration with the Returns (PoWER) algorithm. After 50 trials, the robot learns that the first part of the task requires a stiff behavior to throw the pancake in the air, while the second part requires the hand to be compliant in order to catch the pancake without having it bounced off the pan.

Video credits:
Dr. Petar Kormushev
Dr. Sylvain Calinon
(Advanced Robotics Dept., Italian Institute of Technology)

Links to authors webpages:

About me


http://programming-by-demonstration.org/SylvainCalinon/

Link to publication:
http://programming-by-demonstration.org/papers/Kormushev-IROS2010.pdf

Link to publication on PoWER algorithm by Jens Kober and Jan Peters:
http://books.nips.cc/papers/files/nips21/NIPS2008_0089.pdf

Duration : 0:1:39



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Comments

25 responses to “Robot learns to flip pancakes”

  1. Mikeadrenalinzone Avatar
    Mikeadrenalinzone

    I don’t know about …
    I don’t know about world domination, but maybe comedians should be worried this is the funniest thing I ever saw……this week anyway.

  2. electroum Avatar
    electroum

    The first half of …
    The first half of this is hilarious. When it flipped a pancake over the arm and onto the table behind it I nearly shat with laughter.

  3. mpikybroll Avatar
    mpikybroll

    @p0rkch0p899lb: …
    @p0rkch0p899lb: don’t worry, your job is safe!

  4. magnvss Avatar
    magnvss

    The robot sucks. …
    The robot sucks. Humanity is safe.

  5. WhimsicalUnited Avatar
    WhimsicalUnited

    @Evooons: LMAO!!!!! …
    @Evooons: LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! good 1

  6. WhimsicalUnited Avatar
    WhimsicalUnited

    @Dirtfire: STFU!!!! …
    @Dirtfire: STFU!!!!!!!

  7. redsoxxx1234 Avatar
    redsoxxx1234

    oh no its learning …
    oh no its learning we must destroy it

  8. Dirtfire Avatar
    Dirtfire

    @WhimsicalUnited no …
    @WhimsicalUnited no, Skynet got started because humans gave control over the nation’s entire nuclear arsenal to a gigantic computer –and let it make the decision, on its own, about where and when those nukes would be used.
    This sort of thing is not Skynet, fool.

  9. curlynappy1988 Avatar
    curlynappy1988

    @jonting91 I DID …
    @jonting91 I DID TOO!!!!!!!! LOL!!!!!

  10. Windypetals Avatar
    Windypetals

    Mission: to teach …
    Mission: to teach it how to wash the pan.

  11. Vire70 Avatar
    Vire70

    @TheDirekChew

    @TheDirekChew
    understanding fail.

  12. rubnayr Avatar
    rubnayr

    It’s quite cute at …
    It’s quite cute at the start I think.

  13. fieyr2002 Avatar
    fieyr2002

    @TheDirekChew When …
    @TheDirekChew When you lose for arm in some freak accident 20 years from now, you’re gonna be grateful they started working on junk like this so that your new cybernetic arm could become a reality.

  14. TheDeusexdave Avatar
    TheDeusexdave

    The point of the …
    The point of the experiment was for the robot to develop an artificial intelligence through experimentation, which is rather exciting once you think about it.

  15. heyyou330 Avatar
    heyyou330

    you ain’t go no …
    you ain’t go no pancake mix!

  16. firup69 Avatar
    firup69

    you aint got no …
    you aint got no pancake mix!!

  17. HamhaHamigos Avatar
    HamhaHamigos

    For some reason, I …
    For some reason, I think it was really cute when It failed. 😀

  18. TheArfdog Avatar
    TheArfdog

    That’s probably the …
    That’s probably the driest pancake ever

  19. MrEuroheritage Avatar
    MrEuroheritage

    INTERESTING VIDEO …
    INTERESTING VIDEO youtube.com/watch?v=EU4cvmk44MQ

  20. beastRuffian Avatar
    beastRuffian

    kill it! now!
    kill it! now!

  21. helmus2000 Avatar
    helmus2000

    @TheDirekChew and …
    @TheDirekChew and don’t forget that these are artificial pancakes , you can’t even eat them

  22. TheDirekChew Avatar
    TheDirekChew

    They spend money on …
    They spend money on making a robot that flips pancakes?!

  23. 0mnis14sh Avatar
    0mnis14sh

    @XDrumrX
    No, it’s …

    @XDrumrX
    No, it’s hilarious.

  24. XDrumrX Avatar
    XDrumrX

    Am I the only one …
    Am I the only one who finds it strangely funny to watch the robot fail?

  25. Tupaced Avatar
    Tupaced

    just like a women
    just like a women

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