Publication

Salamandra Robotica II: An Amphibious Robot to Study Salamander-Like Swimming and Walking Gaits

Abstract

In this paper, we present Salamandra robotica II: an amphibious salamander robot that is able to walk and swim. The robot has four legs and an actuated spine that allow it to perform anguilliform swimming in water and walking on the ground. The paper first presents the new robot hardware design, which is an improved version of Salamandra robotica I. We then address several questions related to body–limb coordination in robots and animals that have a sprawling posture like salamanders and lizards, as opposed to the erect posture of mammals (e.g., in cats and dogs). In particular, we investigate how the speed of locomotion and curvature of turning motions depend on various gait parameters such as the body–limb coordination, the type of body undulation (offset, amplitude, and phase lag of body oscillations), and the frequency. Comparisons with animal data are presented, and our results show striking similarities with the gaits observed with real salamanders, in particular concerning the timing of the body’s and limbs’ movements and the relative speed of locomotion.

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Related concepts (24)
Walking
Walking (also known as ambulation) is one of the main gaits of terrestrial locomotion among legged animals. Walking is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step. This applies regardless of the usable number of limbs—even arthropods, with six, eight, or more limbs, walk. In humans, walking has health benefits including improved mental health and reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and death.
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A robot is a machine—especially one programmable by a computer—capable of carrying out a complex series of actions automatically. A robot can be guided by an external control device, or the control may be embedded within. Robots may be constructed to evoke human form, but most robots are task-performing machines, designed with an emphasis on stark functionality, rather than expressive aesthetics.
Gait (human)
A gait is a manner of limb movements made during locomotion. Human gaits are the various ways in which humans can move, either naturally or as a result of specialized training. Human gait is defined as bipedal forward propulsion of the center of gravity of the human body, in which there are sinuous movements of different segments of the body with little energy spent. Varied gaits are characterized by differences such as limb movement patterns, overall velocity, forces, kinetic and potential energy cycles, and changes in contact with the ground.
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