Modelling and simulation of artificial locomotion systems

This paper describes a simulation model for a multi-legged locomotion system with joints at the legs having viscous friction, flexibility and backlash. For that objective the robot prescribed motion is characterized in terms of several locomotion variables. Moreover, the robot body is divided into s...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Silva, Manuel (author)
Other Authors: Tenreiro Machado, J. A. (author), Lopes, António M. (author)
Format: article
Language:eng
Published: 2005
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10400.22/13480
Country:Portugal
Oai:oai:recipp.ipp.pt:10400.22/13480
Description
Summary:This paper describes a simulation model for a multi-legged locomotion system with joints at the legs having viscous friction, flexibility and backlash. For that objective the robot prescribed motion is characterized in terms of several locomotion variables. Moreover, the robot body is divided into several segments in order to emulate the behaviour of an animal spine. The foot-ground interaction is modelled through a non-linear spring-dashpot system whose parameters are extracted from the studies on soil mechanics. To conclude, the performance of the developed simulation model is evaluated through a set of experiments while the robot leg joints are controlled using fractional order algorithms.