A gait generating algorithm with smooth speed transition for the locomotion of legged robots

Abstract

Much of what is known about the gait-generated method is based on specified gait pattern. Yet in the wild, animals can move over terrains with widely varying properties in various gait patterns. Previous studies have realized gait types such as trot or walk in various legged robots, but no detailed relationship descriptions of different gaits are currently available. This paper addresses the intrinsic relationship between all kinds of gait for legged robot locomotion in order to realize the gait transition smoothly. Based on their relations, the proposed gait-generated method is constructed by a support factor and a delay factor, which describe locomotion efficiency and leg difference motion, respectively. A gait ring concept is proposed to explain their intrinsic relation, and a gait algorithm is proposed to realize the speed transition for legged robot locomotion. A quadruped robot called MATA_ I with 12 DOFs is specially designed for realizing gait transition. This kind of robot has a 4RRRS parallel motion structure, and each joint is driven by motor modules. The algorithm with smooth transition between different gaits was applied in this kind of robot. The simulation results have shown that the proposed gait-generated algorithms can effectively realize gait transition for legged robot.

Keywords

Gait generator gait pattern gait transition legged robot locomotion planning

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Aoi

Fujiki

Katayama

(2011) Experimental verification of hysteresis in gait transition of a quadruped robot driven by nonlinear oscillators with phase resetting. International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems, 25–30 September.

Boaventura

Semini

Buchli

(2012) Torque control of a hydraulic quadruped robot. International Conference on Robotics and Automation, RiverCentre: 1889–1894.

Cohen

Holmes

Rand

(1982) The nature of the coupling between segmental oscillators of the lamprey spinal generator for locomotion: a mathematic model. Journal of Mathematical Biology 13: 345–369.

Delcomyn

(1999) Walking robots and the central and peripheral control of locomotion in insects. Autonomous Robots 7: 259–270.

Duan

Chen

(2009) Tripod gaits planning and kinematics analysis of a hexapod robot. IEEE International Conference on Control and Automation (ICCA): 1850–1855.

Estremera

Waldron

(2008) Thrust control, stabilization and energetics of a quadruped running robot. International Journal of Robotics Research 27: 1135–1151.

Heglund

Taylor

(1988) Speed, stride frequency and energy cost per stride: how do they change with body size and gait? The Journal of Experimental Biology 138: 301–318.

Hoyt

Taylor

(1981) Gait and the energetics of locomotion in horses. Nature 292: 239–240.

Hirose

Kuniede

(1991) Generalized standard foot trajectory for a quadruped walking vehicle. The International Journal of Robotics Research 10: 3–12.

10.

Hirose

Fukuda

Kikuchi

(1986a) The gait control system of a quadruped walking vehicle. Advanced Robotics 1: 289–323.

11.

Hirose

Kikuchi

Umetani

(1986b) The standard circular gait of a quadruped walking vehicle. Advanced Robotics 1: 143–164.

12.

Hutter

Gehring

Bloesch

(2012) StarlETH: a compliant quadrupedal robot for fast, efficient, and versatile locomotion. Climbing and Walking Robots. International Conference, July.

13.

Ijspeert

Crespi

Ryczko

(2007) From swimming to walking with a salamander robot driven by a spinal cord model. Science 315: 1416–1420.

14.

Ijspeert

(2008) Central pattern generators for locomotion control in animals and robots: a review. Neural Networks 21: 642–653.

15.

Inagaki

Yuasab

Suzuki

(2006) Wave CPG model for autonomous decentralized multi-legged robot: gait generation and walking speed control. Robotics and Autonomous Systems 54: 118–126.

16.

Kalakrishnan

Buchli

Pastor

(2011) Learning, planning, and control for quadruped locomotion over challenging terrain. International Journal of Robotics Research 30: 236–258.

17.

Kimura

Fukuoka

Cohen

(2007) Adaptive dynamic walking of a quadruped robot on natural ground based on biological concepts. International Journal of Robotics Research 26: 475–490.

18.

Manoonpong

Pasemannb

Worgotter

(2008) Sensor-driven neural control for omnidirectional locomotion and versatile reactive behaviors of walking machines. Robotics and Autonomous Systems 56: 265–288.

19.

McGhee

Frank

(1968) On the stability properties of quadruped creeping gaits. Mathematical Bioscience 3: 331–351.

20.

McGhee

Iswandhi

(1979) Adaptive locomotion of a multilegged robot over rough terrain. IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics 9: 176–182.

21.

Pleite

Maria

Llover

(2001) Efficient gait generation using reinforcement learing. The 4th International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots: 411–418.

22.

Poulakakis

Smith

Buehler

(2005) Modeling and experiments of untethered quadrupedal running with a bounding gait: The Scout II robot. International Journal of Robotics Research 24: 239–256.

23.

Raibert

(1986) Legged Robots That Balance. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

24.

Raibert

Blankespoor

Nelson

(2008) Bigdog, the rough-terrain quadruped robot. In Proceedings of the 17th World Congress of the International Federation of Automatic Control (IFAC): 10822–10825.

25.

Semini

Tsagarakis

Guglielmino

(2011) Design of HyQ – a hydraulically and electrically actuated quadruped robot. Proceedings of the IMechE Part I: Journal of Systems and Control Engineering 225: 831–849.

26.

Semini

(2010) HyQ – design and development of a hydraulically actuated quadruped robot. PhD dissertation, Italian Institute of Technology and University of Genoa.

27.

Song

Chen

(1991) A free gait algorithm for quadrupedal walking machines. Journal of Terramechanics 28: 33–48.

28.

Song

Waldron

(1987) An analytical approach for gait study and its applications on wave gaits. The International Journal of Robotics Research 6: 60–71.

29.

Song

Waldron

(1989) Machines that Walk: The Adaptive Suspension Vehicle. Cambridge, MA: The MIT Press.

30.

Taga

Yamaguchi

Shimizu

(1991) Self-organized control of bipedal locomotion by neural oscillators in unpredictable environment. Biological Cybernetics 65: 147–159.

31.

Zhang

Kimura

(2009) Rush: a simple and autonomous quadruped running robot. Proceedings of the IMechE, Part I: Journal of Systems and Control Engineering 223: 323–336.