Analyzing energy‐efficient configurations in hexapod robots for demining applications

Abstract

Purpose -Reducing energy consumption in walking robots is an issue of great importance in field applications such as humanitarian demining so as to increase mission time for a given power supply. The purpose of this paper is to address the problem of improving energy efficiency in statically stable walking machines by comparing two leg, insect and mammal, configurations on the hexapod robotic platform SIL06. Design/methodology/approach -Dynamic simulation of this hexapod is used to develop a set of rules that optimize energy expenditure in both configurations. Later, through a theoretical analysis of energy consumption and experimental measurements in the real platform SIL06, a configuration is chosen. Findings -It is widely accepted that the mammal configuration in statically stable walking machines is better for supporting high loads, while the insect configuration is considered to be better for improving mobility. However, taking into account the leg dynamics and not only the body weight, different results are obtained. In a mammal configuration, supporting body weight accounts for 5 per cent of power consumption while leg dynamics accounts for 31 per cent. Originality/value -As this paper demonstrates, the energy expended when the robot walks along a straight and horizontal line is the same for both insect and mammal configurations, while power consumption during crab walking in an insect configuration exceeds power consumption in the mammal configuration.

Energy Based Position Control of Jansen Walking Robot

“…Several approaches are being studied in developing energy efficient walking machines. Sanz-Meodio et al in [4] presents a set of rules towards improving energy efficiency in statically stable walking robots extracted to careful dynamic simulation and analysis of two legged, mammal and insect configurations for a hexapod robotic platform. Gonzalez de Santos et al in [5] applies minimization criteria for optimizing energy consumption in a hexapod robot over every half a locomotion cycle especially while walking on uneven terrains.…”

Dynamic Modeling and Nonlinear Position Control of a Quadruped Robot with Theo Jansen Linkage Mechanisms and a Single Actuator

“…Several approaches were studied in developing energy efficient walking machines. Reference [7] presented a set of rules towards improving energy efficiency in statically stable walking robots by comparing two-legged, namely, mammal and insect, configurations on a hexapod robotic platform. Reference [8] applied minimization criteria for optimizing energy consumption in a hexapod robot over every half a locomotion cycle, especially while walking on uneven terrains.…”

Walking machines for exploration - optimizing the energy spendings

“…The selection of the stepping patterns and leg-end trajectories for energy optimization were investigated taking into account the properties of DC motors. The same research group tested the relation between that hexapod leg posture and energy consumption concluding that energy saving is associated with insect type posture [14]. The works devoted to the motion efficiency depending on animal gait patterns and body structure have been also conducted by biologists [1], [3], [6].…”