Helping Humanoid Robots to Walk, Run, and Recover Like Humans
Humanoid robots are leaving the lab and entering the real world. To walk, run, and recover like humans, they need more than programmed motion — they need reliable balance control.
Xsens industrial-grade IMUs (Inertial Measurement Units) provide the high-frequency orientation and state estimation required for dynamic balance control, gait stability, and fall-prevention. Already deployed in hundreds of humanoids worldwide, Xsens IMUs help robots stay upright in unpredictable environments.
How Humanoids Maintain Balance
Engineers use control methods like:
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Zero Moment Point (ZMP): ensuring stable walking by keeping the robot’s center of pressure inside the support polygon.
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Center of Pressure (CoP) estimation: critical for monitoring stability in real time.
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Push-recovery strategies: allowing robots to detect and respond to disturbances.
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Posture control and locomotion control: fine-tuning gait and upper body movements for natural, human-like behavior.
Xsens IMUs provide the orientation estimation and low-drift inertial data these methods depend on, making them essential for humanoid balance control.
Addressing the Challenges of Balancing a Humanoid Robot
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Robots tend to lose balance under dynamic conditions.
Xsens sensor solutions provide high-rate inertial feedback (up to 400 Hz) for immediate posture adjustments. -
Commodity IMUs drift too much
All Xsens sensors are industrial-grade and come with advanced sensor fusion, ensuring robust and drift-resistant orientation. -
Integration often takes too long
We provide ready-to-use ROS 1/2 drivers, Nvidia Jetson compatibility, and open-source SDKs to speed up development. -
Space and power are limited
Xsens compact modules with OEM/SMD form factors and low power consumption fit humanoid design constraints.
Xsens Sensor Modules
MTi-630 AHRS
- Up to 400 Hz orientation output for real-time locomotion control.
- Ideal for pelvis/torso placement in humanoids.
- Proven performance: deplyed already in hundreds of humanoid robots.
Xsens Avior AHRS
- Premium OEM solution, low SwaP-C package.
- High accuracy for demanding humanoid dynamics.
- Wide interface support (UART, CAN, I2C, SPI, UART, RS232, RS424, optional EtherCAT).
MTi-3 AHRS
- Ultra-compact 12 × 12 mm SMD module for space-constrained humanoid designs.
- Delivers reliable orientation (roll, pitch, yaw) with onboard sensor fusion.
- Extremely lightweight and low power consumption, ideal for embedded robotics.
Xsens: Your Partner for Humanoid Robotics
We can not only help with humanoid robots balance control, but also with training robots to move like humans.
Xsens is the only partner that both teaches humanoid robots how to move like humans and equips them with the inertial “inner ear” to stay balanced in the real world.
From idea to implementation: all your R&D team needs.
Why Xsens
- 25 Years of Motion Expertise
Providing solutions in human and machine motion capture since 2000. - Accuracy You Can Rely On
Advanced sensor fusion ensures stable orientation under vibration, shock, and magnetic disturbances. - Developer-Friendly
ROS drivers, Nvidia Jetson-ready, and cross-platform APIs minimize integration effort. - Proven at Scale
Already balancing hundreds of humanoid robots worldwide. - Global Support
FAEs with direct humanoid robotics expertise in Europe, USA and Asia.
