A Note on a Walking Machine Model

The paper continues studies intended to find out whether it is possible to create a prototype walking machine with relatively simple components. In this connection, the control problem is solved for a two-dimensional model of biped machine. It has a torso and two telescopic legs. Each leg includes a ponderable section of constant length and an imponderable section of variable length. The machine, regarded as a system with variable constraints, implements a single-stance gait (one stance leg at a time) with a step of constant duration. The contact of the swing leg with the ground is analyzed within the framework of Carnot's theorem (perfectly inelastic impact). It is assumed that the force developed in the stance leg is due to the deformation of the leg's spring and that this deformation can be controlled. An algorithm is proposed to synthesize a control system that takes into account collisions occurring at reverse of the roles of the legs. This algorithm is based on methods of optimizing periodic systems. The algorithm is compared with approaches used by other authors     

The load distribution among three legs on the wall: model predictions for cockroaches

In a former study on terrestrial locomotion of cockroaches in the sagittal plane, it was hypothesised that the ground reaction force distribution among three legs synchronously in contact with a substrate is predominantly explained by joint torque minimisation within all three legs. We verified this hypothesis with a simple mechanical model in two dimensions, consisting of one body and three mass-less legs. Hereto, we calculated force distributions resulting from different optimisation criteria for varying slope angles of the substrate. We compared these distributions to each other and the few experimental findings available. We found that, for any slope angle, the force distribution rather seems to be derived from the fundamental “table” solution, i.e. equalised vertical and vanishing horizontal components (equivalent to pure force minimisation at zero slope), than from pure torque minimisation. For cockroaches, the “table” solution is likely to be modified by torque minimisation within the leading and the trailing leg. We demonstrate that the minimisation of leg forces and of interaction forces is fully equivalent. Moreover, our model predicts the force distribution for arbitrary slope angles. Based on our model calculations, we speculate that in terrestrial locomotion, some animals may rely on spring-mass model dynamics whatever slope angle to be overcome. This might only become evident when focusing movement analyses strictly on a gravity rather than on a substrate-based coordinate system.     

步进摩擦分析测试平台的研制

研制了步进摩擦分析测试平台,可用于检测人体在静止及运动路面上的步进摩擦特性.该平台主要由六自由度摇摆台、三维测力台和数据采集系统三部分构成,六自由度摇摆台可提供六个自由度的任意组合运动,用来模拟舰船、海浪和地震等工况;三维测力台可测量出人体在行走时的三维力和力矩;数据采集系统将六自由度运动平台和三维测力台的输出数据采集并保存到计算机中,用来分析人体运动时的步进摩擦特性.采用研制平台进行了一组试验,结果表明:人在上、下坡行走时的垂直地面反作用力与在水平路面行走时的垂直地面反作用力具有不同的分布规律,并且垂直地面反作用力均随坡度角的增大而减小.     

Hagedorn's theorem in some special cases of rheonomic systems

Hagedorn's theorem on instability [Arch. Rational Mech. Anal. 58 (1976) 1], deduced from Jacobi's form of Hamilton's principle, refers to scleronomic mechanical systems. In this paper we shall prove that Hagedorn's methodology can be generalized to a class of rheonomic mechanical systems with differential equations of motion which allow the existence of Painlevé's integral of energy. The application of this methodology to the case of rheonomic systems which allow, together with Painlevé's integral, cyclic integrals, as well as to the mechanical systems having resultant motion, with prescribed transport motion, and, finally, to the systems having Mayer's rheonomic potential, are also considered. Obtained results are illustrated by an example.     

3D-Simulation of human walking by parameter optimization

The simulation of human gait is a complex dynamical problem that requires accounting for energy consumption as well as dealing with a redundantly actuated multibody system. If muscle forces and generalized coordinates are parameterized, optimization techniques allow the simulation of the muscle forces and of the walking motion. An optimization framework is presented for non-symmetrical gait cycles found in the presence of one-sided gait disorders. The motion of each leg is independently parameterized for a whole walking cycle. The non-linear constraints used to fulfill the equations of motion and the kinematical constraints of the different walking phases are implemented in an efficient way. Fifth-order splines are used for the parameterization to reduce the oscillatory behavior coming from non-periodicity conditions. To achieve the computational performance required for three-dimensional simulations, the spline interpolation problem has been split in two parts, one is performed in a preprocessing stage and the other during the optimization. Numerical differentiation via finite differences is avoided by implementing analytical derivatives of the splines functions and of the contractile element force law. The results show good numerical performance, and the computational efficiency for 3D-simulations with one-sided gait disorders is highlighted.     

The experimental study on the contact process of passive walking

The passive dynamic walking is a new concept of biped walking. Researchers have been working on this area with both theoretical analysis and experimental analysis ever since McGeer. This paper presents our compass-like passive walking model with a new set of testing system. Two gyroscopes are used for measuring the angles of two legs, and ten FlexiForce sensors are used for measuring the contact forces on the feet. We got the experimental data on the passive walking process with the validated testing system. A great emphasis was put on the contact process between the feet and the slope. The contact process of the stance leg was divided into four sections, and differences between the real testing contact process and the classic analytical contact process with no bouncing and slipping were summarized.     

含摩擦与碰撞平面多刚体系统动力学线性互补算法

基于接触力学理论和线性互补问题的算法, 给出了一种含接触、碰撞以及库伦干摩擦, 同时具有理想定常约束(铰链约束) 和非定常约束(驱动约束) 的平面多刚体系统动力学的建模与数值计算方法. 将系统中的每个物体视为刚体, 但考虑物体接触点的局部变形, 将物体间的法向接触力表示成嵌入量与嵌入速度的非线性函数,其切向摩擦力采用库伦干摩擦模型. 利用摩擦余量和接触点的切向加速度等概念, 给出了摩擦定律的互补关系式; 并利用事件驱动法, 将接触点的黏滞-滑移状态切换的判断及黏滞状态下摩擦力的计算问题转化成线性互补问题的求解. 利用第一类拉格朗日方程和鲍姆加藤约束稳定化方法建立了系统的动力学方程, 由此可降低约束的漂移, 并可求解该系统的运动、法向接触力和切向摩擦力, 还可以求解理想铰链约束力和驱动约束力. 最后以一个类似夯机的平面多刚体系统为例, 分析了其动力学特性, 并说明了相关算法的有效性.      

Efficient parametric excitation walking with delayed feedback control

In passive dynamic walking proposed by McGeer, mechanical energy lost by heel strike is restored by transporting potential energy to kinetic energy as walking down a slope. When energy input is larger as a slope is steeper, the bifurcation of a walking cycle occurs. In the parametric excitation walking, which is to realize passive dynamic-like walking on the level ground, the bifurcation of a walking cycle has also been observed when walking speed is fast. Recently, Asano et al. have shown that bifurcation exerts an adverse influence upon walking performance by using a rimless wheel model. In this paper, we apply the delayed feedback control (DFC), originally used in chaos control, to parametric excitation walking to suppress bifurcation. We show in numerical simulation that the proposed method makes period-two walking to period-one walking, and improves energy efficiency. In addition, the proposed method can generate a sustainable gait in the region where a biped robot cannot walk without DFC. The analyses using a Poincaré map reveal that period-one walking with DFC corresponds to an unstable periodic orbit and reveal that a robot model in this paper satisfies the sufficient condition of applicability of DFC.     

变长度弹性伸缩腿双足机器人动力学与控制

研究了半被动双足机器人的平面稳定行走的控制问题．基于弹簧质点模型，采用拉格朗日方法分别得到双足机器人单支撑阶段与双支撑阶段的动力学方程，对机器人系统的动力学方程求得周期解．应用非线性系统状态反馈线性化理论，在双足机器人的单支撑阶段和双支撑阶段中，通过控制双足机器人的腿长度，实现稳定的周期行走．在理论分析的基础上，对控制算法进行了仿真与研究．结果表明：在周期行走过程中，文中采用的变长度控制算法可以使双足机器人克服外界的干扰，并具有较强的抗干扰性．     

Treadmill walking of the pneumatic biped Lucy: Walking at different speeds and step-lengths

Actuators with adaptable compliance are gaining interest in the field of legged robotics due to their capability to store motion energy and to exploit the natural dynamics of the system to reduce energy consumption while walking and running. To perform research on compliant actuators we have built the planar biped Lucy. The robot has six actuated joints, the ankle, knee and hip of both legs with each joint powered by two pleated pneumatic artificial muscles in an antagonistic setup. This makes it possible to control both the torque and the stiffness of the joint. Such compliant actuators are used in passive walkers to overcome friction when walking over level ground and to improve stability. Typically, this kind of robots is only designed to walk with a constant walking speed and step-length, determined by the mechanical design of the mechanism and the properties of the ground. In this paper, we show that by an appropriate control, the robot Lucy is able to walk at different speeds and step-lengths and that adding and releasing weights does not affect the stability of the robot. To perform these experiments, an automated treadmill was built Published in Prikladnaya Mekhanika, Vol. 44, No. 7, pp. 134–142, July 2008.     

A METHOD FOR SOLVING THE DYNAMICS OF MULTIBODY SYSTEMS WITH RHEONOMIC AND NONHOLONOMIC CONSTRAINTS

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Self-stability of a simple walking model driven by a rhythmic signal

In this paper, we analyzed the dynamic properties of a simple walking model of a biped robot driven by a rhythmic signal from an oscillator. The oscillator receives no sensory feedback and the rhythmic signal is an open loop. The simple model consists of a hip and two legs that are connected at the hip. The leg motion is generated by a rhythmic signal. In particular, we analytically examined the stability of a periodic walking motion. We obtained approximate periodic solutions and the Jacobian matrix of a Poincaré map by the power-series expansion using a small parameter. Although the analysis was inconclusive when we used only the first order expansion, by employing the second order expansion it clarified the stability, revealing that the periodic walking motion is asymptotically stable and the simple model possesses self-stability as an inherent dynamic characteristic in walking. We also clarified the stability region with respect to model parameters such as mass ratio and walking speed.     

考虑摆动腿动态的变长度柔性双足机器人步态切换控制研究

弹簧负载倒立摆模型是一种典型的双足行走模型,已经成为研究机器人类人行走的基础。本文在此模型的基础上进行了扩展,通过添加刚性躯干、脚质量及采用变长度伸缩腿,充分考虑了躯干及摆动腿动力学对机器人行走步态的影响。首先,利用欧拉–拉格朗日法推导了动力学方程。其次,设计了反馈线性化控制器来跟踪目标轨迹,以及调节摆动腿和躯干的姿态。第三,提出了步态切换策略,通过控制腿部长度和髋关节力矩来实现步态切换,从而改变平均行走速度。最后,通过计算机仿真验证了该方法的有效性。仿真结果表明：该控制策略能够有效地跟踪系统的期望轨迹及实现两种自然步态之间的切换,并形成稳定的极限环,实现机器人的稳定行走。

     

On stability of stationary motion of a nonconservative nonholonomic rheonomic system

One considers, in this paper, the motion of a mechanical system in a nonstationary field of potential and positional forces, subject to the action of rheonomic holonomic and nonholonomic linear homogeneous constraints. Assuming that differential equations of motion of the system considered satisfy the conditions for the existence of Painlevé's integral of energy, formulated in [Painlevé, P., 1897. Leçons sur l'intégration des équations de la Mécanique, Paris] and [Appell, P., 1911. Traité de mécanique rationnelle, T. II, Dynamique des systémes – Mécanique analitique, Gauthier-Villars, Paris] and generalized in [Čović, V., Vesković, M., 2004. On stability of motion of a rheonomic system in the field of potential and positional forces, BAMM-1720/2004, No-2233, 93–100] and [Čović, V., Vesković, M., 2005. Hagedorn's theorem in some special cases of rheonomic systems. Mechanics Research Communications 32 (3), 265–280], the original mechanical system is substituted by an equivalent one whose Lagrangian function, nontransformed with respect to nonholonomic constraints, does not depend on time explicitly. Using the properties of the equivalent system, which, in contrast to the original one, moves in a stationary field of potential forces and in a nonstationary field of gyroscopic forces, the definition of cyclic coordinates is generalized, as well as sufficient conditions for the existence of (cyclic) first integrals, corresponding to coordinates mentioned and linear in velocities are established. Further, the conditions for the existence of steady motion of the system considered are found. In the case of existence of such a motion of the system, the Theorem of Routh's type on stability of that motion, based on the minimum of reduced potential for which it is shown that, in contrast to known cases (see, for example, [Gantmacher, F., 1975. Lectures in Analytical Mechanics. Mir Publisher, Moscow; Neimark, J., Fufaev, N., 1972. Dynamics of Nonholonomic Systems. Amer. Math. Soc., Providence, RI; Pars, L., 1962. An Introduction to Calculus of Variations. Heinemann, London; Karapetyan, A., Rumyantsev, V., 1983. Stability of conservative and dissipative systems. In: Itogi Nauki I Tekhniki: Obschaya Mekh., vol. 6, VINITI, Moscow, pp. 3–128 (in Russian)]), it includes the influence of the positional forces field, is formulated. Thus, the Routh's Theorem on stability of steady motion of a conservative mechanical system is extended to the case of a nonconservative system.     

Dynamics and trajectory planning of a planar flipping robot

In this paper, a new planar one-legged robot model is firstly proposed, which, unlike previous one-legged robot with springy legs, consists of three revolute joints. Then a novel manner of one-legged locomotion (i.e., ballistic flip) is designed for this robot. A complete flipping gait cycle is composed of four phases: two stance phases and two flight phases. During flight phases, no active control is needed on the knee joint. Rotational motion and translational motion is decoupled from each other in flight phases. Landing of the robot is regarded as an inelastic impulsive impact. During stance phases, the robot model can be simplified as a two-degree-of-freedom rigid manipulator. Based on analysis of kinematics and dynamics of the flip robot, trajectory planning of cyclic flip gait is formulized as a problem of numerical optimization subject to nonlinear constraints such as positive reaction force of ground and finite torque of the joints. One potential application of the flipping robot is space exploration, which urgently requires the legged locomotive robots to be light-weighted and energy efficient.     

Passive walking biped robot model with flexible viscoelastic legs

Nonlinear Dynamics - To simulate the complex human walking motion accurately, a suitable biped model has to be proposed that can significantly translate the compliance of biological structures. In...     

Bifurcation and chaos of a simple walking model driven by a rhythmic signal

The walk of animals is achieved by the interaction between the dynamics of their mechanical system and the central pattern generator (CPG). In this paper, we analyze dynamic properties of a simple walking model of a biped robot driven by a rhythmic signal from an oscillator. In particular, we examine the long-term global behavior and the bifurcation of the motion that leads to chaotic motion, depending on the model parameter values. The simple model consists of a hip and two legs connected at the hip through a rotational joint. The joint is driven by a rhythmic signal from an oscillator, which is an open loop. In order to analyze the bifurcation, we first obtained approximate solutions of the walking motion and then constructed discrete dynamics using the Poincaré map. As a result, we found that consecutive period-doubling bifurcations occur as the model parameter values change, and that the walking motion leads to chaotic motion over the critical value of the model parameters. Moreover, we approximately obtained the period-doubling solutions and the critical value by employing a Newton-Raphson method. Our analytical results were verified by the numerical simulations.     

Investigation of the performance of an ischial load-bearing leg brace

Partition of loads between the human leg and its protective brace was investigated during the normal walking stride of a patient fitted with a conventional ischial weight-bearing leg brace. Strain-gage force transducers were designed and installed to measure loads in the brace, and a strain-gage force plate was built to measure the floor reaction of the patient's footstep. The load measured by the force plate is equal to the total load carried by the leg and the brace, and it was resolved into components along axes fixed with respect to the leg and compared with the force carried by the leg brace to determine the distribution of the load between the brace and leg. Curves of force in three orthogonal directions and torque about the vertical axis of the leg are presented and discussed.     

跳跃运动的定性理论

本文利用四刚体人体模型讨论垂直跳跃运动．以下肢转角为广义坐标，地面支承力对足底作用位置的变化规律为控制函数，将动力学方程化作自治的一阶非线性方程．利用由下肢转动角速度和角加速度组成的相平面内的相轨迹曲线与参数平面内的控制函数曲线定性地讨论起跳运动的一般规律，分析离地后的腾空高度与各种因素之间的关系，从而对跳跃运动的实验现象作出理论解释．     

Contribution to the determination of the global minimum time for the brachistochronic motion of a holonomic mechanical system

The problem of the brachistochronic motion of a holonomic scleronomic mechanical system is analyzed. The system moves in an arbitrary field of known potential forces. The problem is formulated as an optimal control task, where generalized speeds are taken as control variables. The problem considered is reduced to solving the corresponding two-point boundary-value problem (TPBVP). In order to determine the global minimal solution of the TPBVP, an appropriate numerical procedure based on the shooting method is presented. The global minimal solution represents the solution with the minimum time of motion. The procedure is illustrated by an example of determining the brachistochronic motion of a disk that performs plane motion in a vertical plane in a homogeneous field of gravity.