Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T07:39:08.441Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Autonomously clearing obstacles using the biological flexor reflex in a quadrupedal robot

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 January 2008

Zhang Xiuli  and
Zheng Haojun
Zhang Xiuli
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing 100044, China
Zheng Haojun*
Affiliation:
Department of Precision Instruments and Mechanology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

This paper suggests one possible mechanism for the biological flexor reflex by emulating a cat's behavior with its robotic counterpart, making it capable of walking around and clearing obstacles autonomously in various environments. A central pattern generator and a hip-to-knee mapping function are employed to realize basic rhythmic motion for a quadrupedal robot. When an input from a contact sensor on the robot's toe is detected, a patterned motion generated by the flexor reflex emerges depending on the location of the bumping phase, and replaces the ongoing rhythmic motion of that leg, causing it to be raised high enough to clear the obstacle. By restricting this reflex to within one cycle time of the walk and only to the bumping leg, rhythm and stability of motion are ensured. Numerical simulations and experimental implementation on a physical quadrupedal robot demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Keywords

Quadrupedal robotRhythmic motionClearing obstacleCentral pattern generator (CPG)Flexor reflex
Type
Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 26 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 1 - 7
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Brooks, R. A., “A Robot That Walks: Emergent Behaviors From a Carefully Evolved Network,” Proceedings of IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation, Scottsdale, Arizona 1989 2, pp. 692–4+2.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Brooks, R. A., “New approaches to robotics,” Science 253, 1227–1232 1991.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3.Kimura, H., Akiyama, S. and Sakurama, K., “Realization of dynamic walking and running of the quadruped using neural oscillator,” Autonom. Robot. 7 (3), 247–258 1999.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Fukuoka, Y., Kimura, H. and Cohen, A.H., “Adaptive dynamic walking of a quadruped robot on irregular terrain based on biological concepts,” Int. J. Robot. Res. 22 (3–4), 187–202 2003.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Delcomyn, F., “Neural basis of rhythmic behavior in animals,” Science 210, 492–498 1980.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6.Grillner, S., “Neurobiological bases of rhythmic motor acts in vertebrates,” Science 228, 143–149 1985.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7.Hooper, S. L., “Central pattern generators,” Curr. Biol. 10 (5), R176–177 2000.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8.Drew, T., “Neuronal Mechanisms for the Adaptive Control of Locomotion in The Cat,” Proceedings of Adaptive Motion of Animals and Machines, Montreal, Canada, 1–12 2000.Google Scholar
9.Matsuoka, K., “Sustained oscillations generated by mutually inhibiting neurons with adaptation,” Biol. Cybern. 52, 367–376 1985.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10.Matsuoka, K., “Mechanism of frequency and pattern control in the neural rhythm generators,” Biol. Cybern. 56, 345–353 1987.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11.Taga, G., “A model of the neuro-musculo-skeletal system for anticipatory adjustment of human locomotion during obstacle avoidance,” Biol. Cybern. 78, 9–17 1998.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12.Kimura, H., Fukuoka, Y. and Cohen, A. H., “Biologically Inspired Adaptive Dynamic Walking of a Quadruped Robot,” Proceedings of the 8th International Conference on the Simulation of Adaptive Behavior, Los Angeles, California 2004 pp. 201–210.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Zhang, X., Zheng, H. and Chen, L., “Gait transition for quadruped robot by replacing gait matrix of CPG model,” Adv. Robot. 20 (7), 849–866 2006.CrossRefGoogle Scholar