Realistic simulation of extraterrestrial legged robot in trade-off between accuracy and simulation time

Abstract

In this paper, a realistic simulation of extraterrestrial legged robot in trade-off between accuracy and simulation time is presented which provides an enough accuracy to simulate the dynamical properties and locomotions of the legged robot as well as simplified models in a possible timing rate for the realtime simulation. To simplify the complex joint actuator model, an abstract joint actuator model is defined and its parameters are identified. To connect the abstract model to the whole robot kinematic model in a possible timing rate for the real-time simulation, a bi-directional power coupling is proposed. To verify the accuracy of the robot simulation with the abstract model and the power coupling, real experiments are performed and compared with the simulation results. In the proposed realistic simulation, an approach for force measurement for impedance control to improve the locomotion behavior of the legged robot with contact dynamics is developed.