Inquiry About Applying External Forces Based on Specific Triggers in SCONE

[Aoi Yamamoto]

Dear Thomas,

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Aoi Yamamoto, a student from Japan currently researching how exoskeletons influence walking using SCONE.

I understand that the PerturbationController allows the application of external forces to arbitrary parts of the body. However, I would like to inquire whether it is possible to apply external forces based on specific triggers during the gait cycle. For instance, I would like to apply a forward-directed force of 10 N to the pelvis immediately after heel contact occurs during the walking motion.

If such functionality is available or if there is a way to implement this in SCONE, I would greatly appreciate your guidance. I apologize if this is a basic question, and I thank you in advance for your time and assistance.

Thank you for your time, and I look forward to your response.

[Thomas Geijtenbeek]

You can use the ScriptController for that. You can use the contact_force() method on the foot body to detect the heel-strike / toe-off events, and then use the add_external_force() method on the pelvis to add the perturbation force.

You can check Tutorial 6c for inspiration, even though your script will probably more straightforward than that.