Structural Design, Simulation and Experiment of Quadruped Robot

This paper carried out a series of designs, simulations and implementations by using the physical-like mechanism of a bionic quadruped robot dog as a vehicle. Through an investigation of the walking mechanisms of quadrupeds, a bionic structure is proposed that is capable of omnidirectional movements and smooth motions. Furthermore, the kinematic and inverse kinematic solutions based on the DH method are explored to lay the foundation for the gait algorithm. Afterward, a classical compound pendulum equation is applied as the foot-end trajectory and inverse kinematic solutions are combined to complete the gait planning. With appropriate foot-ground contact modeling, MATLAB and ADAMS are used to simulate the dynamic behavior and the diagonal trot gait of the quadruped robot. Finally, the physical prototype is constructed, designed and debugged, and its performance is measured through real-world experiments. Results show that the quadruped robot is able to balance itself during trot motion, for both its pitch and roll attitude. The goal of this work is to provide an affordable yet comprehensive platform for novice researchers in the field to study the dynamics, contact modeling, gait planning and attitude control of quadruped robots.

Automated summary

This study utilizes the physical-like mechanism of a bionic quadruped robot dog for designing, simulating, and implementing a structure capable of omnidirectional movements and smooth motions. Kinematic solutions, gait algorithms, and foot-ground contact modeling are explored to achieve the diagonal trot gait of the quadruped robot, which shows good balance during trot motion. The goal is to provide a comprehensive platform for novice researchers in studying the dynamics, contact modeling, gait planning, and attitude control of quadruped robots at an affordable cost.