A Control Strategy for Terrain Adaptive Bipedal Locomotion

Rhythmic movements of a five-link sagittal biped with muscle-likeactuators are considered. In walking, as the support phases changecontact is periodically made with the environment. The inputs toevery actuator are modeled after the inputs to muscles in mammals. Thesystem possesses intrinsic position and velocity feedback due to theactuator dynamics. A control strategy is articulated that is novelin that it; a) is physiologically viable; b) simplifies the dynamics;and c) adapts to the speed of walking, going up and down stairs,going up or down inclines, maneuvering over obstacles or holes, andthe tempo and stride length of walking. Walking simulations of afive-link sagittal biped are presented.