To read this content please select one of the options below:

Walking and crawling with ALoF: a robot for autonomous locomotion on four legs

C. David Remy (Autonomous Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland)
Oliver Baur (Autonomous Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland)
Martin Latta (Autonomous Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland)
Andi Lauber (Autonomous Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland)
Marco Hutter (Autonomous Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland)
Mark A. Hoepflinger (Autonomous Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland)
Cédric Pradalier (Autonomous Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland)
Roland Siegwart (Autonomous Systems Lab, Institute of Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETHZ), Zurich, Switzerland)

Industrial Robot

ISSN: 0143-991x

Article publication date: 3 May 2011

667

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the robotic quadrupedal platform ALoF that is designed to aid research on perception in legged locomotion.

Design/methodology/approach

A well‐balanced size and complexity of the robot results in a robust platform that is easy to handle, yet able to perform complex maneuvers as well as to carry sophisticated 3D sensors. A very large range of motion allows the robot to actively explore its surroundings through haptic interaction, and to choose between a wide range of planning options.

Findings

This robot was employed and tested in the lunar robotics challenge organized by the European Space Agency, for which the authors also developed a novel crawling gait, in which the weight of the robot is alternately supported by scaled plates under the main body and the four shank segments. This allowed for stable locomotion in steep terrain with very loose soil.

Originality/value

The paper describes how a very large range of motion allows the robot to actively explore its surroundings through haptic interaction, and to choose between a wide range of planning options. The paper describes how the authors developed a novel crawling gait, in which the weight of the robot is alternately supported by scaled plates under the main body and the four shank segments.

Keywords

Citation

Remy, C.D., Baur, O., Latta, M., Lauber, A., Hutter, M., Hoepflinger, M.A., Pradalier, C. and Siegwart, R. (2011), "Walking and crawling with ALoF: a robot for autonomous locomotion on four legs", Industrial Robot, Vol. 38 No. 3, pp. 264-268. https://doi.org/10.1108/01439911111122761

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles