Real-time Walking Pattern Generation for a Biped Robot with a Hybrid CPG-ZMP Algorithm

Biped robots have better mobility than conventional wheeled robots. The bio-inspired method based on a central pattern generator (CPG) can be used to control biped robot walking in a manner like human beings. However, to achieve stable locomotion, it is difficult to modulate the parameters for the neural networks to coordinate every degree of freedom of the walking robot. The zero moment point (ZMP) method is very popular for the stability control of biped robot walking. However, the reference trajectories have low energy efficiency, lack naturalness and need significant offline calculation. This paper presents a new method for biped real-time walking generation using a hybrid CPG-ZMP control algorithm. The method can realize a stable walking pattern by combining the ZMP criterion with rhythmic motion control. The CPG component is designed to generate the desired motion for each robot joint, which is modulated by phase resetting according to foot contact information. By introducing the ZMP location, the activity of the CPG output signal is adjusted to coordinate the limbs’ motion and allow the robot to maintain balance during the process of locomotion. The numerical simulation results show that, compared with the CPG method, the new hybrid CPG-ZMP algorithm can enhance the robustness of the CPG parameters and improve the stability of the robot. In addition, the proposed algorithm is more energy efficient than the ZMP method. The results also demonstrate that the control system can generate an adaptive walking pattern through interactions between the robot, the CPG and the environment.