Comparison of Hip Torque and Radial Forcing Effects on Locomotion Stability and Energetics

Author(s):  
Zhuohua Shen ◽  
Peter Larson ◽  
Justin Seipel

Hip torque and radial forcing along the leg are two common actuation methods for legged robots. However, hip torque and radial forcing have not been compared as potential alternative strategies of actuation. The respective advantages and disadvantages of hip torque and radial forcing are not well known. In this paper, we compare hip torque and radial forcing actuation through the simulation of two models: a Rotary-forced Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum and a Radially Forced Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum. Both actuation methods can produce fully asymptotically stable locomotion. Interestingly, it is found that they improve locomotion stability in different ways: hip torque first destabilizes locomotion when initially introduced but greatly stabilizes locomotion when it keeps increasing; radial forcing always stabilizes locomotion, but in a moderate way.

Author(s):  
John M. Schmitt

The spring loaded inverted pendulum template has been shown to accurately model the steady locomotion dynamics of a variety of running animals. While the template models the leg dynamics by an energy-conserving spring, insects and animals have structures that dissipate, store and produce energy during a stance phase. Recent investigations into the spring-like properties of limbs, as well as animal response to drop step perturbations, suggest that animals use their legs to manage energy storage and dissipation, and that this management is important for gait stability. In this paper, we extend our previous analysis of control of the spring loaded inverted pendulum template via changes in the leg touch-down angle to include energy variations during the stance phase. We incorporate energy variations through leg actuation that varies the force-free leg length during the stance phase, yet maintains qualitatively correct force and velocity profiles. In contrast to the partially asymptotically stable gaits identified in previous analyses, we find that incorporating energy and leg angle variations in this manner enables the system to recover from perturbations similar to those that might be encountered during locomotion over rough terrain.


Author(s):  
Zhuohua Shen ◽  
Justin Seipel

A reduced model of legged locomotion, called the Spring Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP) has previously been developed to predict the dynamics of locomotion. However, due to energy conservation, the SLIP model can only be partially asymptotically stable in the center-of-mass velocity. The more recently developed Clock-Torqued Spring Loaded Inverted Pendulum (CT-SLIP) model is fully asymptotically stable, and has a significantly larger stability basin than SLIP, but requires more than twice as many parameters. To more completely explore the parameter space and understand the reason for improved stability, we develop and analyze a further reduced model called the Forced-Damped Spring Loaded Inverted Pendulum (FD-SLIP) model.


Author(s):  
Steven Riddle ◽  
Justin Seipel

The clock-torqued spring-loaded inverted pendulum (CT-SLIP) model describes the robust dynamic stability properties observed in most animals and some legged robots. However, the model’s behavior is sensitive to changes in liftoff conditions such as those experienced on realistic terrain. Here the incorporation of friction at the foot-ground interface is explored on the CT-SLIP model with specific interest in improving the transient center-of-mass dynamics. Multiple friction models are presented and tuned to reflect a periodic center-of-mass gait. The transient dynamics with friction are analyzed in comparison to the CT-SLIP model and improvements to the settling time and disturbance rejection were found. This addition of foot-ground contact friction may allow for better understanding of center-of-mass system dynamics on realistic terrain.


Author(s):  
Zhuohua Shen ◽  
Justin Seipel

Although legged locomotion is better at tackling complicated terrains compared with wheeled locomotion, legged robots are rare, in part, because of the lack of simple design tools. The dynamics governing legged locomotion are generally nonlinear and hybrid (piecewise-continuous) and so require numerical simulation for analysis and are not easily applied to robot designs. During the past decade, a few approximated analytical solutions of Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP), a canonical model in legged locomotion, have been developed. However, SLIP is energy conserving and cannot predict the dynamical stability of real-world legged locomotion. To develop new analytical tools for legged robot designs, we first analytically solved SLIP in a new way. Then based on SLIP solution, we developed an analytical solution of a hip-actuated Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum (hip-actuated-SLIP) model, which is more biologically relevant and stable than the canonical energy conserving SLIP model. The analytical approximations offered here for SLIP and the hip actuated-SLIP solutions compare well with the numerical simulations of each. The analytical solutions presented here are simpler in form than those resulting from existing analytical approximations. The analytical solutions of SLIP and the hip actuated-SLIP can be used as tools for robot design or for generating biological hypotheses.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (10) ◽  
pp. 1583
Author(s):  
Natalia Guerrero-Alburquerque ◽  
Shanyu Zhao ◽  
Daniel Rentsch ◽  
Matthias M. Koebel ◽  
Marco Lattuada ◽  
...  

Ureido-functionalized compounds play an indispensable role in important biochemical processes, as well as chemical synthesis and production. Isocyanates, and KOCN in particular, are the preferred reagents for the ureido functionalization of amine-bearing compounds. In this study, we evaluate the potential of urea as a reagent to graft ureido groups onto amines at relatively low temperatures (<100 °C) in aqueous media. Urea is an inexpensive, non-toxic and biocompatible potential alternative to KOCN for ureido functionalization. From as early as 1864, urea was the go-to reagent for polyurea polycondensation, before falling into disuse after the advent of isocyanate chemistry. We systematically re-investigate the advantages and disadvantages of urea for amine transamidation. High ureido-functionalization conversion was obtained for a wide range of substrates, including primary and secondary amines and amino acids. Reaction times are nearly independent of substrate and pH, but excess urea is required for practically feasible reaction rates. Near full conversion of amines into ureido can be achieved within 10 h at 90 °C and within 24 h at 80 °C, and much slower reaction rates were determined at lower temperatures. The importance of the urea/amine ratio and the temperature dependence of the reaction rates indicate that urea decomposition into an isocyanic acid or a carbamate intermediate is the rate-limiting step. The presence of water leads to a modest increase in reaction rates, but the full conversion of amino groups into ureido groups is also possible in the absence of water in neat alcohol, consistent with a reaction mechanism mediated by an isocyanic acid intermediate (where the water assists in the proton transfer). Hence, the reaction with urea avoids the use of toxic isocyanate reagents by in situ generation of the reactive isocyanate intermediate, but the requirement to separate the excess urea from the reaction product remains a major disadvantage.


Author(s):  
Richard Altendorfer ◽  
Uluc Saranli ◽  
Haldun Komsuoglu ◽  
Daniel Koditschek ◽  
H. Benjamin Brown ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Haoyu Ren ◽  
Qimin Li ◽  
Bing Liu ◽  
Zhenhuan Dou

High acceleration and extreme load are frequently appeared on high-speed locomotion of legged robot’s legs, imposing a challenging trade-off between weight and torque in leg design. This paper proposes a new design paradigm based on cable-drive and elastic linkage to solve the problem. The details of the design procedure are given, including the construction of the single leg. With the optimum design of the linkage mechanism, a combined index of the workspace and tracking error are used as object function, and taking geometrical design parameters of the linkage as optimization parameters. Based on the target workspace and the spring-loaded inverted pendulum model, the best foot trajectory in obstacle climbing and trotting gait are analyzed and illustrated. This paper built linkage cable-drive spring robot based on the legged module integration. Simulations and experiments indicate that linkage cable-drive spring robot performs stable trotting with control of the spring-loaded inverted pendulum model. Linkage cable-drive spring robot prototype experiments results are provided to verify the validity of the new method.


In the coming decades, humanoid robots will play a rising role in society. The present article discusses their walking control and obstacle avoidance on uneven terrain using enhanced spring-loaded inverted pendulum model (ESLIP). The SLIP model is enhanced by tuning it with an adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) approach. It helps the humanoid robot to reach closer to the obstacles in order to optimize the turning angle to optimize the path length. The desired trajectory, along with the sensory data, is provided to the SLIP model, which creates compatible COM (center of mass) dynamics for stable walking. This output is fed to APSO as input, which adjusts the placement of the foot during interaction with uneven surfaces and obstacles. It provides an optimum turning angle for shunning the obstacles and ensures the shortest path length. Simulation has been carried out in a 3D simulator based on the proposed controller and SLIP controller in uneven terrain.


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