Approximating the Stance Map of a 2-DOF Monoped Runner

Summary.

We report in this paper a relatively simple means of generating closed-form approximants to the return map associated with a family of nonintegrable Hamiltonian systems. These systems arise in consideration of legged locomotion by animals and robots. The approximations proceed through the iterated application of the mean value theorem for integral operators applied to a nonintegrable perturbation of the system of interest. Both the accuracy of these approximants and their algebraic intractability grow in a relatively controlled manner.