Modelling the Control of Walking in Insects

The current state of control models for legged locomotion is discussed first in terms of general control requirements in order to illustrate the complexity of the problem and then in terms of a specific, kinematic model for leg coordination in the stick insect. The kinematic model is used to demonstrate that the coordinating mechanisms deduced from behavioral experiments are sufficient to qualitatively simulate normal step patterns. However, quantitative discrepancies indicate an important role for the dynamic factors not yet incorporated in the model.