Compliance, mass distribution and contact forces in cursorial and scansorial locomotion with biorobotic physical models

Locomotion in unstructured and irregular environments is an enduring challenge robotics. This particularly true at the small scale, where relative obstacle size increases, often to point that a robot required climb transition both over obstacles between locomotion modes. In this paper, we explore efficacy of different design features, using ‘morphological intelligence’, for mobile robots operating rugged terrain, focusing on use active passive tails changes mass distribution, as well elastic suspensions mass. We develop initial prototype whegged with compliant neck test its traversal performance rapid varying distribution. Then examine second iteration flexible tail effect distribution ascending slope traversing obstacles. Based observations from these tests, new platform increased fin ray wheel-leg present experiments large obstacles, which are larger than robot's body, compliance. biorobotic can assist generating testing hypotheses robotics-inspired biomechanics animal locomotion.