Bio-Inspired Gait Transitions for Quadruped Locomotion

Abstract

Developing gaits inspired by animal locomotion for quadruped robots has become a prevalent approach in achieving dynamic locomotion. Analogous to animal gaits, they exhibit optimal effectiveness at specific velocities, necessitating the transitions between them for enhanced locomotion proficiency. Despite the significance of these transitions, methods for achieving them have received comparatively limited attention. For successful gait transitions, stability and suitable velocities are essential to maintain efficiency. In this study, a bio-inspired gait transition method has been devised, capitalising on the Froude number-a parameter characterising the velocity at which different-sized quadrupeds alter their gaits. By formulating a set of governing equations contingent on the Froude number, stable gait transitions can be generated. A series of simulations were conducted to determine the optimal Froude number ranges for various gaits and to validate the generality of this method by applying it to four distinct quadrupeds. To assess the performance of the gait transitions, a series of hardware experiments were executed, demonstrating a variety of gait transitions, comparing the proposed transition method with existing alternatives and testing its generality.