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Tripod gait-based turning gait of a six-legged walking robot

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Abstract

The turning gait planning and improvement methods of a six-legged walking robot on the basis of tripod gait are presented in this study. A projection method that considers an unstructured environment is proposed for the turning gait planning of the six-legged walking robot. The body and foot motion trajectories of the swing legs are planned with polynomial curves to keep the robot steady while walking. Two basic turning gaits, namely, circling and spinning gaits, are successfully designed with the planning method. An optimized method is proposed to improve the turning angle, which is subjected to stability, kinematics, and relief amplitude constraints in the unstructured environment. The turning ability of the turning gait is improved with the optimized turning angle. The circling and spinning gaits are implemented in simulations and experiments. Results demonstrate that the planning and improvement methods for the turning gait are valid and correct.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhoushan, 316021, China

    Gang Chen & Ying Chen

  2. State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, China

    Gang Chen, Bo Jin & Ying Chen

Authors
  1. Gang Chen
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  2. Bo Jin
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  3. Ying Chen
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Gang Chen.

Additional information

Recommended by Associate Editor Hongyi Li

Gang Chen was born in Zibo, China, in 1986. He received his Ph.D. degree in mechatronic engineering from the State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, China, in 2014. His research interests include intelligent robotics, hydraulic control and marine mechatronic systems.

Bo Jin was born in Changzhou, China, in 1971. He received his Ph.D. degree in fluid power transmission and control from Zhejiang University, China, in 1998. He is a Professor in the State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University. He worked as a Visiting Scholar in University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA in 2007-2008. His research interests include intelligent robotics, hydraulic control and mechatronic engineering for deep-sea devices.

Ying Chen was born in Huzhou, China, in 1962. He received his Ph.D. degree from Zhejiang University, China in 1989. He is currently a Professor of the State Key Lab of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, China. He serves as the Director of Ocean College, Zhejiang University. His main research has focused on intelligent robotics, man–machine systems and the mechatronic integration and application of deep-sea devices.

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Chen, G., Jin, B. & Chen, Y. Tripod gait-based turning gait of a six-legged walking robot. J Mech Sci Technol 31, 1401–1411 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-017-0241-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-017-0241-y

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