A Physical Model for Dynamical Arthropod Running on Level Ground

Arthropods with their extraordinary locomotive capabilities have inspired roboticists, giving rise to major accomplishments in robotics research over the past decade. Most notably bio-inspired hexapod robots using only task level open-loop controllers [22, 9] exhibit stable dynamic locomotion over highly broken and unstable terrain. We present experimental data on the dynamics of SprawlHex — a hexapod robot with adjustable body sprawl — consisting of time trajectory of full body configuration and single leg ground reaction forces. The dynamics of SprawlHex is compared and contrasted to that of insects. SprawlHex dynamics has qualitative similarities to that of insects in both sagittal and horizontal plane. SprawlHex presents a step towards construction of an effective physical model to study arthropod locomotion.