Biologically Inspired Locomotion Strategies: Novel Ground Mobile Robots at RoMeLa

This paper presents some of the ground mobile robots under development at the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory (RoMeLa) at Virginia Tech that use biologically inspired novel locomotion strategies. By studying nature's models and then imitating or taking inspiration from these designs and processes, we apply and implement new ways for mobile robots to move. Unlike most ground mobile robots that use conventional means of locomotion such as wheels or tracks, these robots display unique mobility characteristics that make them suitable for certain environments where conventional ground robots have difficulty moving. These novel ground robots include; the whole skin locomotion robot inspired by amoeboid motility mechanisms, the three-legged walking machine STriDER (Self-excited Tripedal Dynamic Experimental Robot) that utilizes the concept of actuated passive-dynamic locomotion, the hexapod robot MARS (Multi Appendage Robotic System) that uses dry-adhesive “gecko feet” for walking in zero-gravity environments, the humanoid robot DARwIn (Dynamic Anthropomorphic Robot with Intelligence) that uses dynamic bipedal gaits, and the high mobility robot IMPASS (Intelligent Mobility Platform with Active Spoke System) that uses a novel wheel-leg hybrid locomotion strategy. Each robot and the novel locomotion strategies it uses are described, followed by a discussion of their capabilities and challenges.