Abstract.
Stability is a key element in a gait synthesis. Static stability margins are widely adopted in crawlers, while no similar approach has been developed for dynamically stable systems. Utilizing an analytical approach, we developed a set of easy-to-calculate stability indices to describe instantaneous static and dynamic (In)stability for a certain group of walking systems. The analysis is based on a thorough analysis of the interaction between ground reaction forces and the walking system. The indices are applicable to walking systems regardless of the number of legs or mechanical/biological design. We show that static and dynamic stability are independent of each other. We suggest a possible categorization of gait modes based on stability. Stability characteristics are analyzed in a healthy and highly pathological human gait. Finally, we discuss the applicability of the proposed methods.
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Acknowledgments.
The author acknowledges the Republic of Slovenia Ministry of Education, Science, and Sports for financial support and Professor Miloš Žefran for many valuable comments.
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Karčnik, T. Stability in legged locomotion. Biol. Cybern. 90, 51–58 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00422-003-0446-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00422-003-0446-2