Omni-directional gait of multi-legged rescue robot

This paper proposes a gait control algorithm for limb-mechanism robot on rough terrains and slopes. The concept of the "limb-mechanism" is to integrate functions of legged locomotion and arm manipulation. A limb can be used as a leg and an arm according to different situations. Each limb radiates out in six directions and the robot has a symmetrical configuration in horizontal and vertical directions. The robot can walk into any direction using a simple motion planning where the same trajectory is assumed in each leg. This trajectory is generated on a cylindrical volume which is defined in the leg workspace. The robot has a touch sensor at the tip of each leg. The sensor can detect the contact with the ground, and the legs can stay on the ground stably. When the robot walks on a rough terrain, the body is inclined in parallel to the virtual plane defined by leg supporting points in order to use the leg workspace effectively. The stability margin of the robot can be also improved easily by changing the leg trajectory.