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Energy efficiency analysis of quadruped robot with trot gait and combined cycloid foot trajectory

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Abstract

Quadruped robots consume a lot of energy, which is one of the factors restricting their application. Energy efficiency is one of the key evaluating indicators for walking robots. The relationship between energy and elastic elements of walking robots have been studied, but different walking gait patterns and contact status have important influences on locomotion energy efficiency, and the energy efficiency considering the foot-end trajectory has not been reported. Therefore, the energy consumption and energy efficiency of quadruped robot with trot gait and combined cycloid foot trajectory are studied. The forward and inverse kinematics of quadruped robot is derived. The combined cycloid function is proposed to generate horizontal and vertical foot trajectory respectively, which can ensure the acceleration curve of the foot-end smoother and more successive, and reduce the contact force between feet and environment. Because of the variable topology mechanism characteristic of quadruped robot, the leg state is divided into three different phases which are swing phase, transition phase and stance phase during one trot gait cycle. The non-continuous variable constraint between feet and environment of quadruped robot is studied. The dynamic model of quadruped robot is derived considering the variable topology mechanism characteristic, the periodic contact and elastic elements of the robot. The total energy consumption of walking robot during one gait cycle is analyzed based on the dynamic model. The specific resistance is used to evaluate energy efficiency of quadruped robot. The calculation results show the relationships between specific resistance and gait parameters, which can be used to determine the reasonable gait parameters.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200072, China

    Jingtao Lei, Feng Wang & Huangying Yu

  2. School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Tianmiao Wang & Peijiang Yuan

Authors
  1. Jingtao Lei
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  2. Feng Wang
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  3. Huangying Yu
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  4. Tianmiao Wang
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  5. Peijiang Yuan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jingtao Lei.

Additional information

This project is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51375289), Shanghai Municipal National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.13ZR1415500), and Innovation Fund of Shanghai Education Commission of China (Grant No.13YZ020)

LEI Jingtao, born in 1970, is currently an associate professor at School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, China. She received her PhD degree from Beihang University, China, in 2007. Her research interests include walking robots, robot modular technology.

WANG Feng, born in 1989, is currently a master candidate at School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, China.

YU Huangying, born in 1989, is currently a master candidate at School of Mechatronic Engineering and Automation, Shanghai University, China.

WANG Tianmiao, born in 1960, is currently a professor at School of Mechanical Engineering and Automatio, Beihang University, China. He received his PhD degree from Northwestern Polytechnical University, China, in 1990. He worked as a postdoctor at National Intelligent Technology and Systems Laboratory of Tsinghua University, China, and Italian National bionic Mechanics Laboratory from 1990 to 1995. His research interests include biomimetic robots, medical robots and robot modular technology of service robots.

YUAN Peijiang, born in 1974, is currently an associate professor at School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, China. He received his bachelor degree from Tsinghua University, China, in 1997. He received his PhD degree from Western University, Canada, in 2007. His research interests include multi-robot cooperation.

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Lei, J., Wang, F., Yu, H. et al. Energy efficiency analysis of quadruped robot with trot gait and combined cycloid foot trajectory. Chin. J. Mech. Eng. 27, 138–145 (2014). https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2014.01.138

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.3901/CJME.2014.01.138

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