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Numerical and experimental study of the virtual quadrupedal walking robot-semiquad

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Abstract

SemiQuad is a prototyped walking robot with a platform and two double-link legs. Thus, it is a five-link mechanism. The front leg models identical motions of two quadruped's front legs, the back leg models identical motions of two quadruped's back legs. The legs have passive (uncontrolled) feet that extend in the frontal plane. Due to this the robot is stable in the frontal plane. This robot can be viewed as a "virtual" quadruped. Four DC motors drive the mechanism. Its control system comprises a computer, hardware servo-systems and power amplifiers. The locomotion of the prototype is planar curvet gait. In the double support our prototype is statically stable and over actuated. In the single support it is unstable and under actuated system. There is no flight phase. We describe here the scheme of the mechanism, the characteristics of the drives and the control strategy. The dynamic model of the planar walking is recalled for the double, single support phases and for the impact instant. An intuitive control strategy is detailed. The designed control strategy overcomes the difficulties appeared due to unstable and under actuated motion in the single support.

Due to the control algorithm the walking regime consists of the alternating different phases. The sequence of these phases is the following. A double support phase begins. A fast bend and unbend of the front leg allows a lift-off of the front leg. During the single support on the back leg the distance between the two leg tips increases. Then an impact occurs and a new double support phase begins. A fast bend and unbend of the back leg allows the lift-off of the back leg. During the single support on the front leg the distance between the two leg tips decreases to form a cyclic walking gait.

The experiments give results that are close to those of the simulation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut de Recherche en Communications et Cybernétique de Nantes U.M.R. 6597 1 rue de la Noë, BP 92101, F-44321, Nantes cedex 3, France

    Yannick Aoustin & Christine Chevallereau

  2. Institute of Mechanics, Moscow Lomonosov State University, 1, Mitchurinski Prospect, Moscow, 119192, Russia

    Alexander Formal’sky

Authors
  1. Yannick Aoustin
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  2. Christine Chevallereau
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  3. Alexander Formal’sky
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Correspondence to Yannick Aoustin.

Additional information

Funding for SemiQuad was primarily provided by the CNRS and the region Pays de La Loire.

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Aoustin, Y., Chevallereau, C. & Formal’sky, A. Numerical and experimental study of the virtual quadrupedal walking robot-semiquad. Multibody Syst Dyn 16, 1–20 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11044-006-9015-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11044-006-9015-5

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