Systems and methods for robotic self-right

A robotic device including:

• a body;
• two or more legs extending from the body;
• at least one processor;
• and
• data storage comprising program logic executable by the at least one processor to cause the robotic device to perform functions comprising:
• determining an orientation of a bottom surface of a robotic device with respect to a ground surface;
• based on the determined orientation, determining that the robotic device is in an unstable position, wherein the unstable position comprises the legged robotic device positioned on a first side of the legged robotic device in a lying position such that the robotic device is unable to maintain a stance in the unstable position;
• performing a first action configured to return the robotic device to a stable position such that the robotic device is able to maintain a stance in the stable position, wherein the first action includes moving a first leg of the robotic device from a first position to a second position, such that a distal end of the first leg is further away from the ground surface in the second position than in the first position, and wherein a proximal end of the first leg is coupled to a first side of the robotic device;
• if the first action causes the robotic device to return to the stable position, extending at least two of the two or more legs of the robotic device;
• and
• if the robotic device is in the unstable position after the first action, performing a second action configured to return the robotic device to the stable position, wherein the second action includes extending the distal end of the first leg of the robotic device away from the body of the robotic device such that a gravitational potential energy of the robotic device is increased.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions, that when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to carry out functions comprising:

• determining an orientation of a bottom surface of a legged robotic device with respect to a ground surface, wherein the legged robotic device includes two or more legs extending from the body of the legged robotic device;
• based on the determined orientation, determining that the legged robotic device is in an unstable position, wherein the unstable position comprises the legged robotic device positioned on a first side of the legged robotic device in a lying position such that the legged robotic device is unable to maintain a stance in the unstable position;
• providing, by the computing device, instructions to perform a first action configured to return the legged robotic device to a stable position such that the legged robotic device is able to maintain a stance in the stable position, wherein the first action includes moving a first leg of the legged robotic device from a first position to a second position, such that a distal end of the first leg is further away from the ground surface in the second position than in the first position, and wherein a proximal end of the first leg is coupled to a first side of the legged robotic device;
• if the first action causes the legged robotic device to return to the stable position, providing instructions to extend at least two of the two or more legs of the legged robotic device;
• and
• if the legged robotic device is in the unstable position after the first action, providing, by the computing device, instructions to perform a second action configured to return the legged robotic device to the stable position, wherein the second action includes extending the distal end of the first leg of the legged robotic device away from the body of the legged robotic device such that a gravitational potential energy of the legged robotic device is increased.