University of Twente Student Theses
Design and control of a quadruped cheetah robot with compliant spine
Botteghi, N. (2017) Design and control of a quadruped cheetah robot with compliant spine.
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| Abstract: | The goal of the project was to build and control a quadruped robot that can run fast and in an energy efficiency. Although we have not been able to achieve fast running, the average speed is equal to 0.35 m/s, mainly due to the limits of the mechanical structure, since the legs in the end can just jump on the same spot, we have been able to achieve running with the bound gait in a quite efficient way, the cost of transport is equal to 1.3, and the possibility to steer the robot to left or right through a simple manual input. In order to do that, we don't have to forget the previous steps, necessary to complete the research and in particular the theoretical background (Chapter2) and all the work done on the two-legged robot (Chapter 3), with which we achieved a very good value for the cost of transport, 0.36, with average running speed equal to 0.35 m/s, fundamental for the design of the control concepts used in the final prototype (Chapter 4). It is relevant to notice that combining an elastic spine with jumping legs and a controller that, through a clock-based pulses motors setpoints, excites the system with its own running frequency is enough to provide energy efficient locomotion. If we combine it with a control system that changes the amplitude of these pulses in relation to the energy stored in the SEA springs, we achieve very stable locomotion even with lower cost of transport. This work proves once more that in order to increase the efficiency of legged robots it is possible to add passive elements that can store and release energy during the walk or the running in order to mimic what the animal muscles do. Mimic the main features of the animal world help us to build robots that are much more energy efficient. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Master) |
| Faculty: | EEMCS: Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science |
| Programme: | Electrical Engineering MSc (60353) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/81002 |
| Export this item as: | BibTeX EndNote HTML Citation Reference Manager |
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