Hexapod robot locomotion over typical obstacles

Abstract

The authors present a series of simulations designed in Matlab in order to analyze the locomotion of a hexapod mobile robot over common obstacles in different applications. For the robot in question, the authors have developed the direct and inverse geometrical model for the robot leg and for the entire structure using Denavit - Hartenberg algorithm. The tests presented are a part of a complex simulation platform developed in Matlab that allows static stability analysis, full control of the robot, hardware and software leg motion control and locomotion analysis which is the main subject of this paper. There are also presented the most common types of obstacles that a legged robot can encounter during locomotion. In the end some simulations are included and discussed.