Related papers: Heterogeneous inputs to central pattern generators…
Legged locomotion involves various gaits. It has been observed that fast running insects (cockroaches) employ a tripod gait with three legs lifted off the ground simultaneously in swing, while slow walking insects (stick insects) use a…
Stick insect stepping patterns have been studied for insights about locomotor rhythm generation and control, because the underlying neural system is relatively accessible experimentally and produces a variety of rhythmic outputs. Harnessing…
Quadrupeds transition spontaneously to various gait patterns (e.g., walk, trot, pace, gallop) in response to the locomotion speed. The generation of these gait patterns has been the subject of debate for a long time. We propose a coupled…
We present a model of the central pattern generator (CPG) network that can control gait transitions in hexapod robots in a simple manner based on phase reduction. The CPG network consists of six weakly coupled limit-cycle oscillators, whose…
Legged locomotion is a challenging task in the field of robotics but a rather simple one in nature. This motivates the use of biological methodologies as solutions to this problem. Central pattern generators are neural networks that are…
We present a framework for learning a single policy capable of producing all quadruped gaits and transitions. The framework consists of a policy trained with deep reinforcement learning (DRL) to modulate the parameters of a system of…
We present a nonlinear stochastic model of the human gait control system in a variety of gait regimes. The stride interval time series in normal human gait is characterized by slightly multifractal fluctuations. The fractal nature of the…
The gait generator, which is capable of producing rhythmic signals for coordinating multiple joints, is an essential component in the quadruped robot locomotion control framework. The biological counterpart of the gait generator is the…
Walking animals, like stick insects, cockroaches or ants, demonstrate a fascinating range of locomotive abilities and complex behaviors. The locomotive behaviors can consist of a variety of walking patterns along with adaptation that allow…
Summary: Walking is regulated through the motorcontrol system (MCS). The MCS consists of a network of neurons from the central nervous system (CNS) and the intraspinal nervous system (INS), which is capable of producing a syncopated output.…
Initially, robots were developed with the aim of making our life easier, carrying out repetitive or dangerous tasks for humans. Although they were able to perform these tasks, the latest generation of robots are being designed to take a…
Inspired by the dynamic coupling of moto-neurons and physical elasticity in animals, this work explores the possibility of generating locomotion gaits by utilizing physical oscillations in a soft snake by means of a low-level spiking neural…
Insects use flight muscles attached at the base of the wings to produce impressive wing flapping frequencies. The maximum power output of these flight muscles is insufficient to maintain such wing oscillations unless there is good elastic…
We propose a modular architecture for neuromorphic closed-loop control based on bistable relaxation oscillator modules consisting of three spiking neurons each. Like its biological prototypes, this basic component is robust to parameter…
An originally chaotic system can be controlled into various periodic dynamics. When it is implemented into a legged robot's locomotion control as a central pattern generator (CPG), sophisticated gait patterns arise so that the robot can…
We present a minimal phase oscillator model for learning quadrupedal locomotion. Each of the four oscillators is coupled only to itself and its corresponding leg through local feedback of the ground reaction force, which can be interpreted…
Learning how to walk is a sophisticated neurological task for most animals. In order to walk, the brain must synthesize multiple cortices, neural circuits, and diverse sensory inputs. Some animals, like humans, imitate surrounding…
Rhythmic gait patterns in animal locomotion are widely believed to be produced by a central pattern generator (CPG), a network of neurons that drives the muscle groups. In previous papers we have discussed how phase-synchronous signals can…
Animal locomotion employs different periodic patterns known as animal gaits. In 1993 Collins and Stewart achieved the characterization in quadrupeds and bipeds by using permutation symmetries groups which impose constrains in the locomotion…
Robot controllers are often optimised for a single robot in a single environment. This approach proves brittle, as such a controller will often fail to produce sensible behavior for a new morphology or environment. In comparison, animal…