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Biomimetic Energy-Based Humanoid Gait Design

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Abstract

One of the challenges facing humanoid robots is the design of a more human-like gait. In this paper, we propose a new paradigm for gait design for humanoids that is founded in the field of Kinesiology and is based on energy-exchange between potential and kinetic energies. Additionally, we propose an energy-based controller, which not only maintains the desired gait but is also more efficient than current controllers in terms of energy expenditure and joint motor torque exertion. Experiments were performed in simulation on Webots and on an actual humanoid platform, the Nao. Results indicate an improvement in mechanical energy consumption by 10% in simulations, and 1.8% on the Nao. Qualitatively, the proposed gait yielded motions that are more human-like.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded and supported by AUB University Research Board and the Lebanese National Council for Scientific Research. The authors would like to acknowledge the American University of Beirut (AUB) and the National Council for Scientific Research of Lebanon (CNRS-L) for granting a doctoral fellowship to Noel J. Maalouf.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Electrical and Computer Engineering, American University of Beirut, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, 11-0236, Lebanon

    Noel Maalouf & Imad H. Elhajj

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, American University of Beirut, Riad El Solh 1107 2020, Beirut, 11-0236, Lebanon

    Elie Shammas & Daniel Asmar

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  1. Noel Maalouf
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  2. Imad H. Elhajj
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Correspondence to Noel Maalouf.

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Maalouf, N., Elhajj, I.H., Shammas, E. et al. Biomimetic Energy-Based Humanoid Gait Design. J Intell Robot Syst 100, 203–221 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10846-020-01179-z

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