Study of the Foot Force Stability Margin for multi-legged/wheeled robots under dynamic situations

Abstract

Stability analysis of multi-legged and wheeled robots is necessary for maintaining control of the robot especially under dynamic situations. This paper studies the use of the Foot Force Stability Margin and a modified extension of the Foot Force Stability Margin under dynamic situations. The Foot Force Stability Margin and its modified variant are applicable to all types of multi-legged and multi-wheeled robots under both static and dynamic situations. To facilitate the numerical validation of the stability margin under dynamic conditions, a foot force distribution technique is presented. The simulation results confirm that under dynamic situations, the Foot Force Stability Margin and its modified variant are accurate, simple in terms of calculation cost, and sensitive to top-heaviness and the geometry of the robot, making it practical for use within on-line controllers.