Dynamic compliant quadruped walking

Abstract

This paper presents a new dynamic walking controllers for quadrupedal robots with compliant legs. The algorithm implements a "walking bound" gait, requires only one actuator per leg at the hip, and commands a constant hip velocity during stance. The algorithm has been implemented successfully on our Scout II quadruped robot and has yielded stable walking for ranges of operating conditions with minimal reliance on feedback. The experimental data is used to illustrate important considerations on torque generation that need to be taken into account both for successful implementations and realistic modeling of legged robots. In addition, we quantify the energetics of our walking experiments via the specific resistance and document dramatic differences between mechanical and electrical power.