Initial experiments on a leg mechanism with a flexible geared joint and footpad

In the present work, a leg mechanism together with a flexible joint system is designed and constructed. The leg mechanism is expected to walk on uneven terrain and be subject to certain impact or contact forces. The effect of the designed flexible gear system and footpad on shock absorption is a main concern. The joint torque of the motor gear and the contact force of the foot are analyzed with different control schemes. The control performance of the leg movement by these methods is also presented. The proposed control methodology could next be applied to a newly designed two-link leg mechanism. It is hoped that the present study can be extended to an exoskeleton leg mechanism that is being developed.