In this letter, we present a method for integrating central pattern generators (CPGs), i.e. systems of coupled oscillators, into the deep reinforcement learning (DRL) framework to produce robust and omnidirectional quadruped locomotion. The agent learns directly modulate intrinsic oscillator setpoints (amplitude frequency) coordinate rhythmic behavior among different oscillators. This approach ...

In soft robotics, a recent challenge is to decrease the number of rigid components used tocreate entirely robots. A common component in robots encoder, which should be replaced with counterpart if possible. this work, we de-sign and manufacture sensor, embedded into C-shaped leg soft, legged, miniature robot. Our main goal show that can embed sensor receive contact feedback from our quadruped. ...

Center for Adaptive Systems and Department of Cognitive and Neural Systems Boston University, 111 Cummington Street, Boston, MA 02215 A four-channel neural pattern generator is described in which both the frequency and the relative phase of oscillations are controlled by a scalar arousal or GO signal. The generator is used to simulate quadruped gaits; in particular, rapid transitions are simula...

Though development of a practical walking robot is not easy at all, walking robots have many practical advantages resulting from moving functions peculiar to this type of robots including excellent moving characteristics and working characteristics on uneven land. Paying special attention to the encouraging possibility of the walking robot, the authors have been continuing research and developm...

Limb design is well conserved among quadrupeds, notably, the knees point forward (i.e. cranial inclination of femora) and the elbows point back (i.e. caudal inclination of humeri). This study was undertaken to examine the effects of joint orientation on individual leg forces and centre of mass dynamics. Steady-speed trotting was simulated in two quadrupedal models. Model I had the knee and elbo...

Locomotion is a behaviour resulting from the interaction of the nervous and muculo-skeletal systems and the environment. However the musculo skeletal systems of some terrestrial mammals present an intrinsic ability to realize a dynamic stable locomotion. Actual anthropomorphic passive walkers demonstrate that a pure mechanical system with leg and arms is able to walk down an inclined plane. Num...

In this paper a method is presented that decreases the necessary number of evaluations in Evolutionary Algorithms. A classifier with confidence information is evolved to replace time consuming evaluations during tournament selection. Experimental analysis of a mathematical example and the application of the method to the problem of evolving walking patterns for quadruped robots show the potenti...

This paper presents the application of two nonlinear observers in order to estimate the absolute orientation angle of a quadruped walking robot. The designed observers are based on high gain and high order sliding mode approaches. A loss of observability during the robot step appears: this problem is dealed by using two different observers structures.

The ROUS, or Rodent of Unusual Size[4], is an autonomous quadruped built on a cruciform body plan with three degrees of freedom per leg. This flexibility allows the agent to explore a variety of gaits, including the standard forward and reverse as well as a crab-like sidle to the left and right. Further gait variation could be achieved with experimentation.

After a complete spinal section, quadruped mammals (cats, rats, and mice) can generally regain hindlimb locomotion on a treadmill because the spinal cord below the lesion can express locomotion through a neural circuitry termed the central pattern generator (CPG). In this review, we propose that the spinal CPG also plays a crucial role in the locomotor recovery after incomplete spinal cord injury.