Soft Steps: Exploring Quadrupedal Locomotion With Modular Soft Robots

Abstract

Soft robots have emerged as a novel approach to legged locomotion, demonstrating strong potential for navigating unstructured terrains. The omnidirectional bending capability of soft robotic limbs allows for a diverse range of locomotion gaits to be supported. Nevertheless, the development of high-dimensional soft robots capable of performing complex locomotion gaits presents a significant challenge due to their intricate design and operation. To address this challenge, our research team proposes a modular method for constructing a soft quadruped that streamlines the robot-building process and improves its reliability. By formulating a complete floating-base kinematic model and deriving parameterized trajectories for straight and turning locomotion, we offer a comprehensive solution to the development of soft quadrupedal locomotion. We also derive gait models to predict locomotion effectiveness, enabling us to study the quadruped’s locomotion gaits under different parameters. Experimental results show that the derived gait models accurately predict the effectiveness of the robot’s locomotion. This modular approach provides a promising solution to the challenge of building high-dimensional soft robots capable of complex locomotion gaits and offers exciting possibilities for future research.