Towards a biologically inspired open loop controller for dynamic biped locomotion

Abstract

Biped robots are usually controlled using a quasi-static approach. In contrast, dynamic walking robots display more natural gaits which make them faster and more energy efficient. Applying these concepts, a biomimetic open-loop controller based on a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) is designed and applied to a Compass-Gait walker. We use numerical simulations to investigate the resulting gaits and verify stability. The robustness of the system is tested by applying disturbances to the surface slope. The stability of the obtained limit cycles is demonstrated through the system's Poincaré Map.