Dynamic Maneuvers in Legged Locomotion

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Dynamic maneuvers such as rapid starts, stops, and changes of directions are important behaviors for many mammals in high-speed pursuit or flight situations. In this project we will study these maneuvers by means of a combination of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and experiment using robotic galloping machines. The focus of the work will be on non-repetitive maneuvers, as opposed to the cyclic motions that occur when galloping or trotting. An impulse-momentum model, combined with ballistic trajectories, will be used as the basis for our theoretical analysis. Evolutionary robotics strategies, including genetic algorithms, will be used in combination with high-speed dynamic simulation to evolve the dynamic maneuvers. We will design and build a relatively small experimental galloping machine to further investigate the dynamics of such systems.