Design and optimization of a one-degree-of-freedom six-bar leg mechanism for a walking machine

Abstract

The design of a walking machine augmented with a one-degree-of-freedom leg mechanism is presented. This walking machine is capable of walking on various terrains with only three actuators. Unlike other existing leg mechanisms, the leg mechanism developed here generates a Δ-shaped foot path with a sufficient height for the walking machine to step over obstacles or to climb stairs. The design of such a leg mechanism is formulated as a multi-objective optimization problem. Optimization results show that a dramatic reduction in the mechanism size and a moderate reduction in the actuating torque from the preliminary design can be accomplished. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.