Implementation of Bio-Inspired Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex in a Quadrupedal Robot

Studies of primate locomotion have shown that the head and eyes are stabilized in space through the vestibulo-collic and vestibulo ocular reflexes (VCR, VOR). The VOR is a reflex eye movement control system that stabilizes the image on the retina of the eye during head movements in space. This stabilization helps maintain objects of interest approximately fixed on the retina during locomotion. In this paper we present the design and implementation of an artificial vestibular system, which drives a fully articulated binocular vision system for quadrupedal robots to maintain accurate gaze. The complete robot head has 9 degrees of freedom (DOF): pitch, yaw, and roll for the head and 3 DOF for left and right cameras. The SONY AIBOreg quadruped robot has been modified with additional hardware to emulate the vestibular system and the vestibulo-ocular reflex in primates.