Robot phase entrainment on quadruped CPG controller

• Author(s): Matos, Vítor ; Santos, Cristina
• Date: 2012
• Persistent ID: http://hdl.handle.net/1822/25308
• Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
• Subject(s): Central Pattern Generator; Quadruped locomotion; Locomotion Entrainment
• Document Type: Conference Object
• Language: English

Description

Central Pattern Generators are used in several kinds of robot locomotion, from swimming and flying, to bipeds, quadrupeds and hexapods. It is thought that this approach can yield better results in dynamical and natural environments. In this work we expand a previous quadruped locomotion controller and propose a method to couple the step cycle phase onto the locomotor CPG of a quadruped robot, creating a feedback pathway to coordinate the phases of each leg to the phase of the step cycle. This approach is tested in a simulated quadruped robot and the performed locomotion is evaluated. Results demonstrate that the proposed phase coupling synchronizes the swing step phase of ipsilateral legs to the respective step phase of the cycle and show an improvement in stability of the performed walk gait.