Published online by Cambridge University Press: 05 January 2004
In this paper the mechanical design for a new 7-dofs leg is investigated as a walking module for a humanoid robot. In particular, a dynamic simulation is deduced by means of a Newton-Euler formulation and implemented numerically in order to compute the needed input actuator torques. A simulation is carried out for a similar built leg prototype that is used as a walking module for WABIAN-RIV (WAseda BIped humANoid robot-Revised IV). Experimental tests are carried out on this existing leg in order to validate the proposed formulation for a similar application. Thus, the validated formulation has been used in order to design the actuators for a new leg prototype.