Stability-Guaranteed and High Terrain Adaptability Static Gait for Quadruped Robots

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Control Systems
• Mechatronics

Background:

• Locomotion stability is crucial for legged robots, especially quadruped robots, to perform tasks and navigate uneven terrains.
• Existing static gaits for quadruped robots often lack sufficient stability margins or adaptability for complex environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a stability-guaranteed static gait for quadruped robots.
• To enhance the terrain adaptability of quadruped robots for rough and uneven environments.
• To improve the overall performance and robustness of quadruped locomotion.

Main Methods:

• Investigation of three stability-guaranteed static gaits: intermittent gait 1&2 and coordinated gait.
• Selection of intermittent gait 1 for its superior stability margin for further research.
• Implementation of position/force-based impedance control for compliant robot behavior.
• Development of an exploratory gait planning method with touch sensing and an attitude-position adjustment strategy with terrain estimation.

Main Results:

• Intermittent gait 1 demonstrated the largest stability margin among the investigated static gaits.
• Position/force-based impedance control enabled compliant behavior for quadruped robots on rough terrains.
• The proposed gait planning and adjustment strategies significantly improved terrain adaptability.
• Simulations validated the effectiveness of the proposed methods in enhancing stability and adaptability.

Conclusions:

• The developed stability-guaranteed static gait, particularly intermittent gait 1, provides a robust foundation for quadruped robot locomotion.
• The integration of impedance control and advanced gait planning strategies enhances quadruped robots' ability to adapt to and traverse challenging terrains.
• This research contributes to the advancement of autonomous legged robot navigation in unstructured environments.