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Gaits-transferable CPG controller for a snake-like robot

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Abstract

With slim and legless body, particular ball articulation, and rhythmic locomotion, a nature snake adapted itself to many terrains under the control of a neuron system. Based on analyzing the locomotion mechanism, the main functional features of the motor system in snakes are specified in detail. Furthermore, a bidirectional cyclic inhibitory (BCI) CPG model is applied for the first time to imitate the pattern generation for the locomotion control of the snake-like robot, and its characteristics are discussed, particularly for the generation of three kinds of rhythmic locomotion. Moreover, we introduce the neuron network organized by the BCI-CPGs connected in line with unilateral excitation to switch automatically locomotion pattern of a snake-like robot under different commands from the higher level control neuron and present a necessary condition for the CPG neuron network to sustain a rhythmic output. The validity for the generation of different kinds of rhythmic locomotion modes by the CPG network are verified by the dynamic simulations and experiments. This research provided a new method to model the generation mechanism of the rhythmic pattern of the snake.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Robotics Laboratory, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, 110016, China

    Lu ZhenLi, Ma ShuGen, Li Bin & Wang YueChao

  2. Organization for Promotion of the COE Program, Ritsumeikan University, Shiga-Kan, 525-8577, Japan

    Ma ShuGen

  3. Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Lu ZhenLi

  4. Shenyang Ligong University, Shenyang, 110168, China

    Lu ZhenLi

Authors
  1. Lu ZhenLi
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  2. Ma ShuGen
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  3. Li Bin
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  4. Wang YueChao
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lu ZhenLi.

Additional information

Supported in part by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 60375029), the National Hi-tech Research and Development Plan (Grant No. 2001AA422360), and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science Grants-in-Aid (Grant No. 15360129)

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Lu, Z., Ma, S., Li, B. et al. Gaits-transferable CPG controller for a snake-like robot. Sci. China Ser. F-Inf. Sci. 51, 293–305 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-008-0026-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-008-0026-0

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