13 accepted papers
This paper presents the addition of two models for added mass to the fluid-field spring-loaded inverted pendulum (FF-SLIP) Model for legged swimming. The relative ability of these models to capture the increased fluid forces due to virtual mass displacement is evaluated using a two-legged swimming r
The seafloor is a complex environment and it is challenging to conduct detailed mapping, soil composition sampling, and habitat characterization missions in this benthic region. As a step toward overcoming these challenges, we present a quadruped robot capable of walking on the seafloor and maneuver
For effective operation in challenging outdoor environments, mobile unmanned robots face stiff and competing demands including payload capacity, driving speed, range, as well as the ability to traverse rough terrain. To address these issues we introduce the hybrid wheel-leg quadrupedal robot WaLTER.
Legged animals have developed a variety of modes of locomotion to adapt to the diverse and unknown terrain challenges posed in the natural world. Legged robots, however, have been largely limited to specializing in one domain, with few that have endeavored to bridge the gap between two. In this work…
In this paper we present swimming and modeling for Trident, a three-link lamprey inspired robot that is able to climb on flat smooth walls. We explore two gaits proposed to work for linear swimming, and three gaits for turning maneuvers. We compare the experimental results obtained from these swimmi…
This paper describes the development of a single reduced-order dynamic model that captures running on land, running while submerged, and for the first time swimming on the surface of water. By capturing the effect of fluid forces on both the body and the leg, the Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLI…
Although they take many forms, legged robots rely upon springs to achieve high speed, dynamic locomotion. In this paper we examine the effect of adding parallel springs to robots that rely on virtual compliance. Specifically, we consider the trade-off between energetic efficiency and leg versatility…
Energy-efficient navigation is an important technology for mobile robots because of its potential to increase the operation time of the robot. In particular, when coupled with a dynamic legged quadruped, the need for energy savings is made more apparent as payloads are limited. Due to the complexity…
Many running animals, unlike their robotic counterparts, have distinct morphologies and functional roles for their front and rear legs. In this paper we present a new control approach for a 5kg autonomous dynamic quadruped that explicitly encodes separate roles for each contralateral pair of legs. T…
The design process for leg morphology has taken much of its inspiration from the manipulator community, including the concept of maximizing the workspace of a design. In this paper, we define the concept of Effective Dynamic Workspace, which examines the subset of the overall workspace capable of ac…
In this paper, we examine the reduced order pendular dynamic climbing model with the addition of attachment windows based on prescribed body roll. With this model and on the new dynamic climbing platform, TAILS, we demonstrate dynamic downward climbing as well as identify distinct dynamic gaits with…
While numerous gaits in the horizontal regime (e.g. walking or running) have been defined for legged systems on level ground, no dynamically grounded definitions have been developed for dynamic vertical running. Gaits have clear implications to robotic control strategy, efficiency, and stability. Ho…
Robots are often used to perform similar tasks on vastly different scales. When utilizing traditional design approaches, this typically requires a full redesign and optimization at each specified size, a costly and time intensive process. In this work, we propose an alternative approach based on the…