Sprawl Angle in Simplified Models of Vertical Climbing: Implications for Robots and Roaches

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Penn collection
Departmental Papers (ESE)
General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception Laboratory
Kod*lab
Degree type
Discipline
Subject
GRASP
Kodlab
bioinspired robotics
climbing robots
robot actuator models
robotic models of animal locomotion
Biology
Controls and Control Theory
Electro-Mechanical Systems
Systems Biology
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
Distributor
Related resources
Contributor
Abstract

Empirical data taken from fast climbing sprawled posture animals reveals the presence of strong lateral forces with significant pendulous swaying of the mass center trajectory in a manner captured by a recently proposed dynamical template. In this simulation study we explore the potential benefits of pendulous dynamical climbing in animals and in robots by examining the stability and power advantages of variously more and less sprawled limb morphologies when driven by conventional motors in contrast with animal-like muscles. For open loop models of gait generation inspired by the neural-deprived regimes of high stride-frequency animal climbing, our results corroborate earlier hypotheses that sprawled posture may be required for stability. For quadratic-in- velocity power output actuation models typical of commercially available electromechanical actuators, our results suggest the new hypothesis that sprawled posture may confer significant energetic advantage. In notable contrast, muscle-powered climbers do not experience an energetic benefit from sprawled posture due to their sufficiently distinct actuator characteristics and operating regimes. These results suggest that the potentially significant benefits of sprawled posture climbing may be distinctly different depending upon the details of the climber's sensorimotor endowment. They offer a cautionary instance against mere copying of biology by engineers or rote study of physical models by biologists through this reminder of how even simple questions addressed by simple models can yield nuanced answers that only begin to hint at the complexity of biological designs and behaviors.

Advisor
Date of presentation
2010-10-01
Conference name
Departmental Papers (ESE)
Conference dates
2023-05-17T05:29:27.000
Conference location
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Suggested Citation: Lynch, G.A., L.Rome and D.E. Koditschek. "Sprawl Angle in Simplified Models of Vertical Climbing: Implications for Robots and Roaches." 1st International Conference on Applied Bionics and Biomechanics. October 14-16, 2010. Venice, Italy. ©2010 IEEE. Personal use of this material is permitted. However, permission to reprint/republish this material for advertising or promotional purposes or for creating new collective works for resale or redistribution to servers or lists, or to reuse any copyrighted component of this work in other works must be obtained from the IEEE.
Recommended citation
Collection