The Influence of Mass Allocation on Stability and Performance of Walking Robots

Abstract

The human body is naturally built for walking, and passive dynamic walking implies it can occur without active motor control. This suggests that both rehabilitation and robot design for walking may be less challenging than initially thought. It is important to note that mass distribution significantly impacts walking performance. Passive walking robots serve as ideal models for studying these phenomena. The main focus of this paper is to study the effect of mass allocation on walking stability and performance. The foot mass is selected as representative of mass allocation in a dimensionless curved-feet passive walking robot. Various walking paradigms are demonstrated across a range of incline angles. The impact of distributing foot mass on both step length and stability is evaluated. A chart illustrating potential options for foot mass distribution is provided to aid in designing bipedal walking for different slope angles.