Neuromorphic Closed-Loop Control of a Flexible Modular Robot by a Simulated Spiking Central Pattern Generator

Abstract

We propose a minimal yet highly biomimetic hierarchical controller based on a neuromorphic spiking central pattern generator (CPG) consisting of twelve simulated neurons modulated by sensory feedback. The robotic application of this controller is a flexible modular robot which uses DC linear actuators to morph its structure and achieve a crawling gait. It was shown in previous work that different gaits can be achieved by altering the number and physical location of structural modules. The proposed controller enables a modular style of controller design as well. Additional behaviors, or adaption of the controller to a different flexible robotic configuration, can be achieved by additional independent “neural modules” consisting of spiking neurons.