Analysis of Cushioned Landing Strategies of Cats Based on Posture Estimation

This article addresses the challenge of minimizing landing impacts for legged space robots during on-orbit operations. Inspired by the agility of cats, we investigate the role of forelimbs in the landing process. By identifying the kinematic chain of the cat skeleton and tracking it using animal posture estimation, we derive the cushioning strategy that cats use to handle landing impacts. The results indicate that the strategy effectively transforms high-intensity impacts into prolonged low-intensity impacts, thereby safeguarding the brain and internal organs. We adapt this cushioning strategy for robotic platforms through reasonable assumptions and simplifications. Simulations are conducted in both gravitational and zero gravity environments, demonstrating that the optimized strategy not only reduces ground impact and prolongs the cushioning duration but also effectively suppresses the robot's rebound. In zero gravity, the strategy enhances stable attachment to target surfaces. This research introduces a novel biomimetic control strategy for landing control in the on-orbit operations of space robots.