Discrete event models + temporal logic = supervisory controller: automatic synthesis of locomotion controllers

In this paper, we address the problem of the synthesis of controller programs for a variety of robotics and manufacturing tasks. The problem we choose for test and illustrative purposes is the standard 'Walking Machine Problem,' a representative instance of a real hybrid problem with both logical/discrete and continuous properties and strong mutual influence without any reasonable separation. We aim to produce a 'compiler technology' for this class of problems in a manner analogous to the development of the so-called 'Silicon Compilers' for the VLSI technology. To cope with the difficulties inherent to the problem, we resort to a novel approach that combines many key ideas from a variety of disciplines: namely, Discrete Event Supervisory Systems [14] Petri Nets approaches [8], [10] and Temporal Logic [5].