Characterization of Dynamic Behaviors in a Hexapod Robot

This paper investigates the relationship between energetic efficiency and the dynamical structure of a legged robot’s gait. We present an experimental data set collected from an untethered dynamic hexapod, EduBot [1] (a RHex-class [2] machine), operating in four distinct manually selected gaits. We study the robot’s single tripod stance dynamics of the robot which are identified by a purely jointspace-driven estimation method introduced in this paper. Our results establish a strong relationship between energetic efficiency (simultaneous reduction in power consumption and increase in speed) and the dynamical structure of an alternating tripod gait as measured by its fidelity to the SLIP mechanics—a dynamical pattern exhibiting characteristic exchanges of kinetic and spring-like potential energy [3]. We conclude that gaits that are dynamic in this manner give rise to better utilization of energy for the purposes of locomotion.

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