# Constrained Whole-Body Tracking for Humanoid Robots

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2606.00374 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2606.00374/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Placed in RL for robot locomotion and manipulation, one of 15 directions in Deep reinforcement learning methods.
- Builds on 31 of its 45 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 29 May 2026.

## Placed in

- Deep reinforcement learning methods / [RL for robot locomotion and manipulation](https://mlsanity.com/deeprl/rl-for-robot-locomotion-and-manipulation/)

## Builds on (most cited first, 30 of 31)

- [Control Barrier Functions: Theory and Applications](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1903.11199/) (2019)
- [OmniH2O: Universal and Dexterous Human-to-Humanoid Whole-Body Teleoperation and Learning](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.08858/) (2024)
- [BeyondMimic: From Motion Tracking to Versatile Humanoid Control via Guided Diffusion](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.08241/) (2025)
- [TWIST: Teleoperated Whole-Body Imitation System](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.02833/) (2025)
- [SONIC: Supersizing Motion Tracking for Natural Humanoid Whole-Body Control](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.07820/) (2025)
- [HOVER: Versatile Neural Whole-Body Controller for Humanoid Robots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2410.21229/) (2024)
- [HOMIE: Humanoid Loco-Manipulation with Isomorphic Exoskeleton Cockpit](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.13013/) (2025)
- [Retargeting Matters: General Motion Retargeting for Humanoid Motion Tracking](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.02252/) (2025)
- [OmniRetarget: Interaction-Preserving Data Generation for Humanoid Whole-Body Loco-Manipulation and Scene Interaction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2509.26633/) (2025)
- [TWIST2: Scalable, Portable, and Holistic Humanoid Data Collection System](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.02832/) (2025)
- [Optimization-Based Control for Dynamic Legged Robots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2211.11644/) (2022)
- [PyRoki: A Modular Toolkit for Robot Kinematic Optimization](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.03728/) (2025)
- [CBF-RL: Safety Filtering Reinforcement Learning in Training with Control Barrier Functions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.14959/) (2025)
- [SoftMimic: Learning Compliant Whole-body Control from Examples](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2510.17792/) (2025)
- [Safe Control Synthesis via Input Constrained Control Barrier Functions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2104.01704/) (2021)
- [Safe, Task-Consistent Manipulation with Operational Space Control Barrier Functions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2503.06736/) (2025)
- [XRoboToolkit: A Cross-Platform Framework for Robot Teleoperation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.00097/) (2025)
- [SafeFall: Learning Protective Control for Humanoid Robots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.18509/) (2025)
- [SHIELD: Safety on Humanoids via CBFs In Expectation on Learned Dynamics](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2505.11494/) (2025)
- [GentleHumanoid: Learning Upper-body Compliance for Contact-rich Human and Object Interaction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.04679/) (2025)
- [On the Differentiability of the Primal-Dual Interior-Point Method](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.11749/) (2024)
- [Humanoid Self-Collision Avoidance Using Whole-Body Control with Control Barrier Functions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2207.00692/) (2022)
- [Collision-Free Humanoid Traversal in Cluttered Indoor Scenes](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2601.16035/) (2026)
- [Robot Crash Course: Learning Soft and Stylized Falling](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2511.10635/) (2025)
- [A Differentiable Interior-Point Method in Single Precision](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2605.17913/) (2026)
- [Safe Whole-Body Task Space Control for Humanoid Robots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2311.08409/) (2023)
- [Dexterous Safe Control for Humanoids in Cluttered Environments via Projected Safe Set Algorithm](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.02858/) (2025)
- [SPARK: Safe Protective and Assistive Robot Kit](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2502.03132/) (2025)
- [Learning Safe-Stoppability Monitors for Humanoid Robots](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2603.22703/) (2026)
- [frax: Fast Robot Kinematics and Dynamics in JAX](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2604.04310/) (2026)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Recent advances in reinforcement learning (RL) have demonstrated impressive whole-body agility for humanoid robots, yet ensuring safety and satisfying constraints -- particularly those specified after training -- remains a challenge. Towards this goal, we present ConstrainedMimic, a control framework that leverages whole-body kinematics and dynamics for real-time constraint enforcement within RL tracking policies. By integrating principles from operational space control and control barrier functions, we enable the satisfaction of arbitrary runtime constraints on both the kinematic reference motion and the underlying dynamics, with efficient computation at frequencies above 1 kHz. In whole-body motion-tracking experiments in simulation and hardware, we demonstrate collision avoidance (both with the robot body and external obstacles), joint limits, and center of mass stability constraints. By remaining consistent with the current contact mode and tracking objectives, we minimally restrict the capabilities of the policy when constraints are active. Project page: https://stanfordasl.github.io/constrainedmimic.