Geometric Heat Flow Method for Legged Locomotion Planning

A General Method for Motion Planning for Quasi–Static Legged Robotic Locomotion

We present a general motion planning scheme for a class of legged robots that walk in a quasi–static manner. The method does not depend upon the number of legs, nor is it based on foot placement concepts. Instead, our method is based on an extension of a nonlinear motion planning algorithm for smooth systems to the legged case, where the relevant dynamics are not smooth. The configuration space...

Elastic Actuation for Legged Locomotion

The inherent elasticity of dielectric elastomer actuators (DEAs) gives this technology great potential in energy efficient locomotion applications. In this work, a modular double cone DEA is developed with reduced manufacturing and maintenance time costs. This actuator can lift 45 g of mass (5 times its own weight) while producing a stroke of 10.4 mm (23.6% its height). The contribution of the ...

Legless locomotion for legged robots

We propose a locomotion technique for a legged robot that is high-centered, i.e., a robot stuck on a block with its legs dangling in air. By using its legs as reaction masses, the robot might be able to rock and roll on its stomach and incrementally move forward off the block, a form of legless locomotion using halteres. With locomotion of high-centered robots using body attitude oscillations a...

Bio-inspired Legged Locomotion

Metastable Legged-Robot Locomotion

A variety of impressive approaches to legged locomotion exist; however, the science of legged robotics is still far from demonstrating a solution which performs with a level of flexibility, reliability and careful foot placement that would enable practical locomotion on the variety of rough and intermittent terrain humans negotiate with ease on a regular basis. In this thesis, we strive toward ...