Design of Bionic Buffering and Vibration Reduction Foot for Legged Robots

When legged robots walk on rugged roads, they would suffer from strong impact from the ground. The impact would cause the legged robots to vibrate, which would affect their normal operation. Therefore, it is necessary to take measures to absorb impact energy and reduce vibration. As an important part of a goat's foot, the hoof capsule can effectively buffer the impact from the ground in the goat's running and jumping. The structure of the hoof capsules and its principle of buffering and vibration reduction were studied. Inspired by the unique shape and internal structure of the hoof capsules, a bionic foot was designed. Experimental results displayed that the bionic foot could effectively use friction to consume impact energy and ensured the stability of legged robot walking. In addition, the bionic foot had a lower natural vibration frequency, which was beneficial to a wide range of vibration reduction. This work brings a new solution to the legged robot to deal with the ground impact, which helps it adapt to a variety of complex terrain.