Using a nonlinear mechanical control coupling metric for biped robot control and design

摘要

This paper uses results from geometric mechanics and control to determine the degree of coupling between actuated and unactuated degrees of freedom in a two-link biped robot. By comparing the degree of coupling when ankle actuation is used and when hip actuation is used, it is clear that ankle actuation affords stronger dynamic coupling and hence, may provide a superior means for control design for robust gait and posture control. This is true both in the case where the robot is configured as a bipedal walker and the case where it is configured to model posture control. In the case of posture control, these results are consistent with some literature on the means by which humans maintain posture.