On the Controlling of Multi-Legged Walking Robots on Stable and Unstable Ground

Abstract

In this chapter, we developed and investigated numerically a general kinematic model of a multi-legged hybrid robot equipped with a crab-like and/or mammallike legs. To drive the robot's limbs, a novel generator of gait was employed and tested. The simulation model developed in Mathematica is suitable for virtual study and visualization of the locomotion process. In contrast to our previous papers, in this study we focused especially on precise control of the position of the robot during walking in different directions. In our study we were able to simultaneously control all six spatial degrees of freedom of the robot's body, as well as all the robot's legs. Therefore, the investigated robot can be considered and used as a fully controlled walking Stewart platform. What is more, the used algorithm can also be successfully employed to coordinate and control all limbs of the robot on unstable or vibrating ground. As an example, it can be used to stabilize spatial position of the robot when the supporting ground becomes vibrating or unstable, and it will keep the robot stable and prevent it from falling over. Eventually, the developed simulation algorithms can be relatively simply adopted to control real constructions of different multi-legged robots.

A Strategy for Controlling Motions Related to Sensory Information in a Walking Robot Big Foot

“…Mobile robots are designed to function in a complex environment, which requires that they have to possess specific capabilities, such as: climbing stairs [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]; avoiding obstacles and moving on uneven terrain [ 4 , 5 ]. Many of their applications involve them covering a given area, while bypassing obstacles within it.…”

“…A perception system determines the surrounding environment with an accuracy of several centimeters and the robot’s movements are realized based on input data obtained by scanning with a laser sensor. The authors of [ 4 ] consider the issue of perception of an uneven terrain and its mapping with a walking robot equipped with low-cost optical range sensors providing only 2D information. A Hokuyo URG-04LX light sensor and laser scanner are used.…”

The snake-inspired robots: a review

“…There are different movement modes of bionic robots with different special applications. For example, wheeled bionic robots are more efficient in planar motion and legged/legless bionic robots are well adapted to complex terrain (Grzelczyk and Awrejcewicz, 2020; Jia et al , 2006). Combining the advantages of wheeled bionic robots and legged/legless bionic robots, researchers have developed the leg-wheeled bionic robots and the legless-wheeled bionic robots.…”