Effects of Limb Morphology on Transient Locomotion in Quadruped Robots

Raw, Leanne; Fisher, Callen; Patel, Amir

doi:10.1109/iros40897.2019.8968206

Cited by 11 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 31 publications

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“…The experimental procedure is similar to [28] with a similar optimization method to the authors previous large-scale Monte Carlo paper [31]. The three spines of interest are shown in Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following our previous study [28], [31], 100 randomly generated robot parameters from the design space, Table I, were used. For an explanation of the symbols, see Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To date only a few large-scale Monte Carlo simulations have been attempted using trajectory optimization methods [28], [29], [31], [32]. These have focused on short trajectories [29], [32], enforced a contact order [28] or are using simple models (templates) [32].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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On the optimal spine morphology of rapidly accelerating quadrupeds

Fisher

Patel

2021

SAIEE Afr. Res. J.

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Animals exploit spine actuation during rapid locomotion, however this has only recently become a focal point in robotics. Roboticists have used a multitude of spine configurations in their platforms but the optimal design for rapid acceleration and deceleration maneuvers is yet to be discovered. In this paper, we endeavour to find this optimal spine morphology by using large-scale Monte Carlo trajectory optimization simulations on long-time-horizon minimum time problems (start and end at rest while travelling a fixed distance of 30 spine lengths). Broad applicability of the results was ensured by generating 100 sets of robot parameters at random from a carefully selected design space, comparing the performance of the rigid, revolute and prismatic spine morphology. Using bootstrapping techniques, it was determined with a 78.8% probability that the prismatic spine morphology was the optimal spine for these long-time-horizon trajectories. These results will serve as a guide for designers of future, agile quadruped robots.

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“…The experimental procedure is similar to [28] with a similar optimization method to the authors previous large-scale Monte Carlo paper [31]. The three spines of interest are shown in Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Following our previous study [28], [31], 100 randomly generated robot parameters from the design space, Table I, were used. For an explanation of the symbols, see Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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On the optimal spine morphology of rapidly accelerating quadrupeds

Fisher

Patel

2021

SAIEE Afr. Res. J.

Self Cite

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“…The morphological features of robots also differ greatly from their animal inspirations. The most popular mechanical designs have maximized simplicity and generality, typically featuring identical actuators and two-link legs across the robot [5].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In animals, locomotor performance (i.e., maximum speed, acceleration, cost of transport, and maneuverability) is largely determined by the structure of the musculoskeletal system, which varies greatly across species [6,7]. Analogously, morphological factors in quadrupedal robot design, such as leg shape and orientation, have been optimized to increase whole robot performance [8,5,9]. Separately, actuator design has been optimized, but many still maintain generality for use in multiple leg joints [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and Characterization of 3D Printed, Open-Source Actuators for Legged Locomotion

Urs¹,

Adu²,

Rouse³

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Impressive animal locomotion capabilities are mediated by the co-evolution of the skeletal morphology and muscular properties. Legged robot performance would also likely benefit from the co-optimization of actuators and leg morphology. However, development of custom actuators for legged robots is often expensive and time consuming, which discourages roboticists from pursuing performance gains afforded by application-specific actuator optimization. This paper presents open-source designs for two quasi-direct-drive actuators with performance regimes appropriate for an 8-15 kg robot, built completely with off the shelf and 3D-printed components for less than $200 USD each. The mechanical, electrical, and thermal properties of each actuator are characterized and compared to benchmark data. Actuators subjected to 420k strides of gait data experienced only a 2% reduction in efficiency and 26 mrad in backlash growth, demonstrating viability for rigorous and sustained research applications. We present a thermal solution that nearly doubles the thermally-driven torque limits of our plastic actuator design. The performance results are comparable to traditional metallic actuators for use in high-speed legged robots of the same scale. These 3D printed designs demonstrate an approach for designing and characterizing low-cost, highly customizable, and highly reproducible actuators, democratizing the field of actuator design and enabling co-design and optimization of actuators and robot legs.

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Design and control of a robotic system with legs, wheels, and a reconfigurable arm

Liu

Wang

et al. 2022

IET Cyber-Syst and Robotics

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Unmanned robotic systems are expected to liberate people from heavy, monotonous, and dangerous work. However, it is still difficult for robots to work in complicated environments and handle diverse tasks. To this end, a robotic system with four legs, four wheels, and a reconfigurable arm is designed. Special attention has been given to making the robot compact, agile, and versatile. Firstly, by using separate wheels and legs, it removes the coupling in the traditional wheeled-legged system and guarantees highly efficient locomotion in both the wheeled and legged modes. Secondly, a leg-arm reconfiguration design is adopted to extend the manipulation capability of the system, which not only reduces the total weight but also allows for dexterous manipulation and multi-limb cooperation. Thirdly, a multi-task control strategy based on variable configurations is proposed for the system, which greatly enhances the adaptability of the robot to complicated environments. Experimental results are given, which validate the effectiveness of the system in mobility and operation capability.

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Effects of Limb Morphology on Transient Locomotion in Quadruped Robots

Cited by 11 publications

References 31 publications

On the optimal spine morphology of rapidly accelerating quadrupeds

On the optimal spine morphology of rapidly accelerating quadrupeds

Design and Characterization of 3D Printed, Open-Source Actuators for Legged Locomotion

Design and control of a robotic system with legs, wheels, and a reconfigurable arm

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