Robustness of centipede-inspired millirobot locomotion to leg failures

Abstract

This paper explores the use of mechanical redundancy to enhance robustness to leg failures in miniature ambulatory robots. Graceful degradation, rather than immediate catastrophic failure, is exhibited experimentally in 10-20 leg centipede-inspired millirobots as legs are removed without altering the gait, using speed and radius of curvature as performance metrics. Static stability retention is examined as a function of the nominal number of legs, and for cases where static stability is lost, two gait options are tested. The effect of location of missing legs on performance is also described.