Adaptable gait generation for autotomised legged robots

Abstract

This paper presents an adaptable gait generation method which allows legged robots to walk in a stable fashion after they have shed a combination of legs. By using this technique, robots will be able to continue with their mission even after a combination of their legs has been damaged. The method selects and calculates the final coordinates of a robot’s stance and swing legs by maximising the stable mobility of the robot in the direction of locomotion. As a result, stable straight line locomotion in any desired direction has been generated. In addition, the resulting gaits can accommodate a range of loads carried by the robot. The proposed technique has been tested in a hexapod robot, but results can be extended to robots with any number of legs. Finally, this method intends to reduce the current gap between biological and robot locomotion, extending robots’ resilience to damage and improving autonomy. 1