A quasi-passive dynamic walker inspired by human walking

Since the present control methods for quasi-passive dynamic walkers are complex, and few quantitative study of the control parameters on the performance of quasi-passive dynamic walkers has been done, inspired by biomechanics in human walking, a control method for the quasi-passive dynamic walker and quantitative control parameters on the performance of the quasi-passive dynamic walker were studied. After the impact between swing leg and ground, a torque of square wave was applied at the hip as power supply. The gait sensitivity norm was used to quantify the stability, and the dimensionless cost of transport was used to quantify the walking efficiency. Stability, efficiency and velocity were used as three performance criteria. The effects of the amplitude of torque, the application time of torque and slope angle on the performance criteria were obtained by simulations. Since the torque does not do negative work during the whole walking period, the walker has a high efficiency as human walking. The robot can walk up a slope, walk down a slope and walk on flat ground.