A push-recovery method for walking biped robot based on 3-D flywheel model

Abstract

Bipedal robot has many advantages to locomotion in complex environments that wheeled robot cannot achieve. However, because of biped robot's complicated mechanism and the naturally unstable system, it is very susceptible to disturbance from the environment and humans in comparison with wheeled robots. Therefore, the prime task for biped robot walking is to maintain dynamic balance and recover from the perturbation when it occurs unexpectedly. In our previous work, the strategy in the sagittal plane has been studied. While the lateral one has not been considered yet. The objective of this paper is to deal with perturbation in lateral plane, and combine them to a planar direction strategy. Various recovery approaches are utilized to stabilize the biped robot while walking. The methods take advantage of angular momentum by quickly swinging leg or rotating trunk. Also, it is determined in the way as human beings encounter pushing force. The proposed method has been successfully implemented on the biped robot developed in our iCeiRA laboratory.