Control system and related method for multi-limbed, multi-legged robot

A robot comprising:

• a robot body having a front half and a rear half;
• an articulating joint interconnecting the front half and rear half of the robot body;
• a plurality of multi-limbed legs extending from each half of the robot body, each leg having limbs and joints forming a hip joint, a knee joint and a shin and foot assembly having a foot adapted to engage a ground surface to form a support polygon for each half and for the robot body, wherein said articulating joint is operative to be driven in rotation about an x,y,z coordinate system with joint angles that are a function of a current support polygon;
• drive mechanisms carried in each leg and operatively connected to a respective hip joint, knee joint and a shin and foot assembly for imparting limb movement to carry the robot body over a ground surface;
• and
• a controller operatively connected to each drive mechanism within each leg, and operative for
• a) determining the position and orientation of the robot body with respect to the support polygon,
• b) mapping the posture of the robot body with respect to the ground surface via the articulating joint while maintaining ground contact for each foot that contributes to the support polygon, and
• c) determining a direction and magnitude of locomotion and translating a trajectory of locomotion for the robot body by driving the drive mechanisms in each leg for imparting specific limb motions in each leg and allowing movement of the robot body over a ground surface.

A method of controlling a multi-limbed, multi-legged robot, which comprises:

• determining the position and orientation of the robot with respect to a support polygon formed from a plurality of multi-limbed legs extending from a robot body of the robot, each leg having a foot adapted to engage a ground surface for supporting the robot;
• mapping the posture of the robot with respect to the ground surface via an articulating joint that divides the robot into a front half and a rear half with each half having a plurality of legs that engage the ground surface and create a support polygon while maintaining ground contact for each foot that contributes to the support polygon;
• and
• determining a direction and magnitude of locomotion for the robot and translating a trajectory of locomotion for the robot to specific limb motions in each leg.