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US 8,914,151 B2Granted
Apparatus and method for legged locomotion integrating passive dynamics with active force control
AssigneeState of Oregon acting by and through the State Board of Higher Education on behalf of Oregon State University
InventorsJonathan Hurst, Devin Koepl
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Abstract
A robot for legged locomotion incorporating passive dynamics with active force control and method are provided.
Claims23
A robot for legged locomotion incorporating passive dynamics with active force control, comprising:
- at least one extendable leg;
- at least one leg motor coupled to a first end of the extendable leg and operable to extend and retract the leg along a leg length direction;
- at least one leg spring disposed in series with the at least one leg motor and at least one leg, the leg spring configured to store energy therein during a touchdown part of a stance and configured to recover the stored energy during a liftoff part of the stance to provide passive dynamic locomotion;
- a sensor configured to measure a force in the leg length direction proximate a second end of the at least one leg;
- and
- a controller in communication with the sensor and the at least one leg motor, the controller configured to detect a difference between the measured force profile and a force profile representing interaction of the at least one leg with a flat rigid surface, and configured to control the leg motor to extend or retract the leg to alter the force profile at the second leg end to substantially match the force profile representing interaction of the at least one leg with a flat rigid surface.
3 more elements
A method for controlling the force profile in the leg of a robot during stance to compensate for an unexpected ground disturbance, comprising:
- providing a robot having at least one extendable leg, at least one leg motor coupled to a first end of the extendable leg and operable to extend and retract the leg along a leg length direction, and at least one leg spring disposed in series with the at least one leg motor and at least one leg, the leg spring configured to store energy therein during a touchdown part of a stance and configured to recover the stored energy during a liftoff part of the stance to provide passive dynamic locomotion;
- measuring a force in the leg length direction proximate a second end of the at least one leg;
- and
- detecting a difference between the measured force profile and a force profile representing interaction of the at least one leg with a flat rigid surface;
- providing a controller in communication with at least one leg motor;
- and
- commanding, with the controller, the leg motor to extend or retract the leg to alter the force profile at the second leg and to substantially match the force profile representing interaction of the at least one leg with a fiat rigid surface.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.