Starleth: A Compliant Quadrupedal Robot for Fast, Efficient, and Versatile Locomotion

HUTTER, MARCO; GEHRING, CHRISTIAN; BLOESCH, MICHAEL; Hoepflinger, Mark A.; Remy, C. David; Siegwart, Roland

doi:10.1142/9789814415958_0062

Cited by 229 publications

(166 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…One of the main reasons for this is that legged robots are better suited to walk over rough, irregular terrain compared to their wheeled counterparts [1]. Current examples of such legged robots used for research are for instance BigDog [2], Hyq [3] and StarlETH [4].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing trotting and turning strategies on the quadrupedal oncilla robot

Degrave

Burm

Waegeman

et al. 2013

2013 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO)

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Abstract-In this paper, we compare three different trotting techniques and five different turning strategies on a small, compliant, biologically inspired quadrupedal robot, the Oncilla. The locomotion techniques were optimized on the actual hardware using a treadmill setup, without relying on models. We found that using half ellipses as foot trajectories resulted in the fastest gaits, as well as the highest robustness against parameter changes. Furthermore, we analyzed the importance of using the scapulae for turning, from which we observed that although not necessary, they are needed for turning with a higher speed.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing trotting and turning strategies on the quadrupedal oncilla robot

Degrave

Burm

Waegeman

et al. 2013

2013 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics (ROBIO)

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“…We believe that a combination of active and passive impedance is used in BigDog. StarlETH is quadruped robot developed at the ETH Zurich with relatively stiff springs in series with its actuators (SEA) making it a fully torque-controlled robot [21]. This platform has recently shown trotting with short flight phases [14].…”

Section: Robots Running With a Flying Trotmentioning

confidence: 99%

Is Active Impedance the Key to a Breakthrough for Legged Robots?

Semini

Barasuol

Boaventura

et al. 2016

Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics

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This work addresses the question whether active impedance control is key to a breakthrough for legged robots. In this paper, we will talk about controlling the mechanical impedance of joints and legs with a focus on stiffness and damping control. In contrast to passive elements like springs, active impedance is achieved by torque-controlled joints allowing real-time adjustment of stiffness and damping. We argue that legged robots require a high degree of versatility and flexibility to execute a wide range of assistive tasks to be truly useful to humans and thus to lead to a breakthrough. Adjustable stiffness and damping in realtime is a fundamental building block towards versatility. Experiments with our 80 kg hydraulic quadruped robot HyQ demonstrate that active impedance alone (thus no springs in the structure) can successfully emulate passively compliant elements during highly-dynamic locomotion tasks (running and hopping); and, that no springs are needed to protect the actuation system. Here we present results of a flying trot, also referred to as running trot. To the authors' best knowledge this is the first time a flying trot was successfully implemented on a robot without passive elements such as springs. A critical discussion on the pros and cons of active impedance concludes the paper.

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“…The highly dynamic active compliance is achieved to ensure fast locomotion over rough terrain. A compliant quadruped robot StarlETH uses brushless DC motors to achieve active compliance [19].…”

Section: Compliance In Robot Leg Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Adaptive Control of Quadruped Locomotion Through Variable Compliance of Revolute Spiral Feet

Mutka

Koco

Kovačić

2014

International Journal of Advanced Robotic Systems

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In this article we present a novel mechanical design of a robot leg that possesses active and variable passive compliance properties. The hip and knee joints provide active compliance, while the variable passive compliance comes from the spiral foot spring, mounted on the ankle joint, which changes its stiffness by rotating and changing contact angle with the ground. The stiffness of the foot for various contact angles was identified experimentally by using the strength tester measurement system. The method for damping coefficient identification, based on the observation of energy losses during the stance phase of leg hopping motion, is described and used to obtain the foot damping model. The adaptation of spiral foot stiffness to varying ground stiffness is achieved by extracting a leg contact time from a feedback signal provided by a flex sensor mounted on the foot. The experiments on a single leg and quadruped platforms have confirmed that the presented spiral foot design provides stiffness adaptability, partial recovery of the energy from the previous hop and restriction of stance contact time, which are all necessary conditions to obtain more efficient quadruped locomotion.

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Starleth: A Compliant Quadrupedal Robot for Fast, Efficient, and Versatile Locomotion

Cited by 229 publications

References 9 publications

Comparing trotting and turning strategies on the quadrupedal oncilla robot

Comparing trotting and turning strategies on the quadrupedal oncilla robot

Is Active Impedance the Key to a Breakthrough for Legged Robots?

Adaptive Control of Quadruped Locomotion Through Variable Compliance of Revolute Spiral Feet

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