Supervisory Control of a Multilegged Robot

Abstract

Motion-planning algorithms to provide for 3-axis joystick control of a multilegged robot over planar terrain are presented. Three different modes of operation are developed: cruise (for motion along the circular arc whose radius varies with joystick position), side-stepping, and turn-in-place. In each of these modes, the trajectories of the body and the feet are generated. The overall cycling of the legs defines a "wave" gait pattern. The algorithms have been implemented on a PDP-11/45 minicomputer, and results for the control of the OSU Hexapod are given.