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Power to the Springs: Passive Elements are Sufficient to Drive Push-Off in Human Walking

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Robotics in Natural Settings (CLAWAR 2022)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems ((LNNS,volume 530))

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Abstract

For the impulsive ankle push-off (APO) observed in human walking two muscle-tendon-units (MTUs) spanning the ankle joint play an important role: Gastrocnemius (GAS) and Soleus (SOL). GAS and SOL load the Achilles tendon to store elastic energy during stance followed by a rapid energy release during APO. We use a neuromuscular simulation (NMS) and a bipedal robot to investigate the role of GAS and SOL on the APO. We optimize the simulation for a robust gait and then sequentially replace the MTUs of (1) GAS, (2) SOL and (3) GAS and SOL by linear springs. To validate the simulation, we implement NMS-3 on a bipedal robot. Simulation and robot walk steady for all trials showing an impulsive APO. Our results imply that the elastic MTU properties shape the impulsive APO. For prosthesis or robot design that is, no complex ankle actuation is needed to obtain an impulsive APO, if more mechanical intelligence is incorporated in the design.

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Notes

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Emre Cemal Gonen and An Mo for their help with the robot data. The project is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) - 449427815.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Applied Mechanics, Department of Mechanical Engineering, TUM School of Engineering and Design, Technical University Munich, Boltzmannstr. 15, 85748, Garching, Germany

    Alexandra Buchmann & Daniel Renjewski

  2. Dynamic Locomotion Group, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Heisenbergstr. 3, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany

    Bernadett Kiss & Alexander Badri-Spröwitz

Authors
  1. Alexandra Buchmann
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  2. Bernadett Kiss
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  3. Alexander Badri-Spröwitz
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  4. Daniel Renjewski
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Alexandra Buchmann .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal

    José M. Cascalho

  2. School of Engineering, London South Bank University, London, UK

    Mohammad Osman Tokhi

  3. School of Engineering, Polytechnic Institute of Porto, Porto, Portugal

    Manuel F. Silva

  4. Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal

    Armando Mendes

  5. Mechanical, Materials and Manufacturing Engineering (M3), Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK

    Khaled Goher

  6. Faculty of Sciences and Technology, University of the Azores, Ponta Delgada, Portugal

    Matthias Funk

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Buchmann, A., Kiss, B., Badri-Spröwitz, A., Renjewski, D. (2023). Power to the Springs: Passive Elements are Sufficient to Drive Push-Off in Human Walking. In: Cascalho, J.M., Tokhi, M.O., Silva, M.F., Mendes, A., Goher, K., Funk, M. (eds) Robotics in Natural Settings. CLAWAR 2022. Lecture Notes in Networks and Systems, vol 530. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15226-9_5

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