Experimental Study of Passive Dynamic Bipedal Walking: Comparing Test Platforms

In this study an experimental passive dynamic biped walker is developed. The design of the experimental passive walker incorporates an accelerometer and an encoder for the purpose of gait measurement. The aim of this study is to compare the equivalency of testing a passive dynamic biped walker on a ramp to testing on a treadmill. The measured gaits produced on a ramp and on a treadmill are used to determine the equivalency between the two test platforms. Using the data from the aforementioned accelerometer and encoder various gait parameters are determined. To quantitatively compare the gaits produced on the two test platforms, the step period, step length, and average hip velocity are determined. To qualitatively compare the two gaits produced, a phase portrait of the inner leg angle and the acceleration profile of the hip are generated. From the analysis, the difference between the two gaits produced is easily within the measurement error. Therefore, based on the small difference between the two gaits, testing on a treadmill was found to be equivalent to testing on a ramp.