Optimizing Dynamic Balance in a Rat Robot via the Lateral Flexion of a Soft Actuated Spine

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Huang, Yuhong, Bing, Zhenshan, Zhang, Zitao, Zhuang, Genghang, Huang, Kai, Knoll, Alois
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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_version_ 1866910350357561344
author Huang, Yuhong
Bing, Zhenshan
Zhang, Zitao
Zhuang, Genghang
Huang, Kai
Knoll, Alois
author_facet Huang, Yuhong
Bing, Zhenshan
Zhang, Zitao
Zhuang, Genghang
Huang, Kai
Knoll, Alois
contents Balancing oneself using the spine is a physiological alignment of the body posture in the most efficient manner by the muscular forces for mammals. For this reason, we can see many disabled quadruped animals can still stand or walk even with three limbs. This paper investigates the optimization of dynamic balance during trot gait based on the spatial relationship between the center of mass (CoM) and support area influenced by spinal flexion. During trotting, the robot balance is significantly influenced by the distance of the CoM to the support area formed by diagonal footholds. In this context, lateral spinal flexion, which is able to modify the position of footholds, holds promise for optimizing balance during trotting. This paper explores this phenomenon using a rat robot equipped with a soft actuated spine. Based on the lateral flexion of the spine, we establish a kinematic model to quantify the impact of spinal flexion on robot balance during trot gait. Subsequently, we develop an optimized controller for spinal flexion, designed to enhance balance without altering the leg locomotion. The effectiveness of our proposed controller is evaluated through extensive simulations and physical experiments conducted on a rat robot. Compared to both a non-spine based trot gait controller and a trot gait controller with lateral spinal flexion, our proposed optimized controller effectively improves the dynamic balance of the robot and retains the desired locomotion during trotting.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2403_00944
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Optimizing Dynamic Balance in a Rat Robot via the Lateral Flexion of a Soft Actuated Spine
Huang, Yuhong
Bing, Zhenshan
Zhang, Zitao
Zhuang, Genghang
Huang, Kai
Knoll, Alois
Robotics
Balancing oneself using the spine is a physiological alignment of the body posture in the most efficient manner by the muscular forces for mammals. For this reason, we can see many disabled quadruped animals can still stand or walk even with three limbs. This paper investigates the optimization of dynamic balance during trot gait based on the spatial relationship between the center of mass (CoM) and support area influenced by spinal flexion. During trotting, the robot balance is significantly influenced by the distance of the CoM to the support area formed by diagonal footholds. In this context, lateral spinal flexion, which is able to modify the position of footholds, holds promise for optimizing balance during trotting. This paper explores this phenomenon using a rat robot equipped with a soft actuated spine. Based on the lateral flexion of the spine, we establish a kinematic model to quantify the impact of spinal flexion on robot balance during trot gait. Subsequently, we develop an optimized controller for spinal flexion, designed to enhance balance without altering the leg locomotion. The effectiveness of our proposed controller is evaluated through extensive simulations and physical experiments conducted on a rat robot. Compared to both a non-spine based trot gait controller and a trot gait controller with lateral spinal flexion, our proposed optimized controller effectively improves the dynamic balance of the robot and retains the desired locomotion during trotting.
title Optimizing Dynamic Balance in a Rat Robot via the Lateral Flexion of a Soft Actuated Spine
topic Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.00944