In this paper, a bilaterally decoupled neural controller was used to achieve stable locomotion in a 6 DOF biped robot with 5 links, implemented in a virtual physics-based simulation environment. The neural controller consists of an independent neural rhythm generator for each leg. The rhythm generator is a recurrent neural network, whose weights are optimized by a genetic algorithm and are iden...

The rhythmic locomotion of animals, such as walking, swimming, and #ying, is controlled by groups of neurons called central pattern generators (CPGs). CPGs can autonomously produce rhythmic output, but under normal biological conditions make extensive use of peripheral sensory feedback. Models of CPGs have been used to control robot locomotion, but none of these models have incorporated sensory...

The intention of this paper is twofold. It first describes the robotic platform AloF and its control software framework which was designed for autonomous locomotion in rough terrain. The robot has a very large range of leg motion to actively explore its surroundings through haptic interaction and to increase its locomotion capabilities. The platform is robust enough to carry adequate sensors to...

Different gaits with upright body configurations make human bipedal locomotion unique [1]. Upper body balance is key to human locomotion. To balance, humans may control the direction of the ground reaction force [2] and the center of pressure, either continuously or step by step. Older infants learn standing and walking upright while holding tight to stable objects [3], thereby simplifying bala...

This paper proposes a model called the gravitycompensated inverted pendulum mode (G CIPM) to generate a biped locomotion pattern that is similar to the one generated by the linear inverted pendulum mode, but accommodates the free leg dynamics based upon its predetermined trajectory. When the biped locomotion based upon the linear inverted pendulum mode is applied to real biped robots, the stabi...

The quest to 'forward-engineer' and fabricate biological machines remains a grand challenge. Towards this end, we have fabricated locomotive "bio-bots" from hydrogels and cardiomyocytes using a 3D printer. The multi-material bio-bot consisted of a 'biological bimorph' cantilever structure as the actuator to power the bio-bot, and a base structure to define the asymmetric shape for locomotion. T...

Terrestrial legged locomotion requires repeated support forces to redirect the body's vertical velocity component from down to up. We assume that the redirection is accomplished by impulsive leg forces that cause small-angle glancing collisions of a point-mass model of the animal. We estimate the energetic costs of these collisions by assuming a metabolic cost proportional to positive muscle wo...

The theories of aero- and hydrodynamics predict animal movement and device design in air and water through the computation of lift, drag, and thrust forces. Although models of terrestrial legged locomotion have focused on interactions with solid ground, many animals move on substrates that flow in response to intrusion. However, locomotor-ground interaction models on such flowable ground are of...

The authors have proposed a control system of a quadruped locomotion robot by using nonlinear oscillators. It is composed of a leg motion controller and a gait pattern controller. The leg motion controller drives the actuators of the legs by using local feedback control. The gait pattern controller involves nonlinear oscillators with mutual interactions. In this paper, capability of adaptation ...

The aim of this study was to differentiate the effects of body load and joint movements on the leg muscle activation pattern during assisted locomotion in spinal man. Stepping movements were induced by a driven gait orthosis (DGO) on a treadmill in patients with complete para-/tetraplegia and, for comparison, in healthy subjects. All subjects were unloaded by 70% of their body weight. EMG of up...