Abstract
By using Model Predictive Impedance Control (MPIC), two essential questions about human walking control have been considered in this paper: Which parameters are controlled by the control system and what strategies are applied? As a general method, MPIC was proposed as a possible model for controlling human movements in the previous paper of one of the authors [1] and it was also applied to periodic movements such as walking [2]. According to the acceptable results of primary experiences, a more realistic walking model is presented in this paper to be controlled by MPIC strategy. A 3-dimensional 5-link simulated walking robot with 8 degrees of freedom in sagittal and lateral planes is employed to be analyzed while being controlled on an irregular condition, like ascending and descending stairs. The objective of the controller is to optimize the energy consumption, vertical orientation of the body, and forward speed of its center of mass. Visual feedback effect is applied when the robot targets specific footprints over the walking terrain. Each optimization sequence has been applied during the prediction horizon with one human step duration. The results have been animated for comparison with natural walking of a human in similar conditions.