U OF M COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
CONTROL SEMINAR SERIES
WINTER TERM 1998

Electrical Engineering and Computer Science
University of Michigan

schwindw@eecs.umich.edu

Friday, February 20, 1998
4:00 - 5:00 pm
1200 EECS

Title: Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum Running: A Survey of Its Implications in Robotics and Biomechanics

• Abstract
  
  Through the ground-breaking work of Raibert in the mid 1980's, the robotics community was introduced to the spring-loaded inverted pendulum (SLIP) model for running and hopping. Now, more than 10 years later, this work still represents the premier achievement in robotic legged locomotion.

  This model for running is by no means unique to robotics. In fact, Raibert's inspiration came in part due to the appearance of the SLIP model in the biomechanics literature. Indeed, biomechanists have shown it to be a good descriptive model for the center of mass trajectories for runners as diverse as humans, horses, cockroaches and crabs.

  Despite its ubiquity in both the biomechanics and robotics literature, the formal implications of SLIP-like running remain largely unexplored. In this talk we will offer a broad survey of the encouraging results we have obtained through careful consideration of the resulting SLIP dynamics. In particular, we will present approximate solutions to the SLIP dynamics which are independent of the particular spring potential model under consideration. Furthermore, we will discuss the implications of these results on controller analysis and design (for both explicitly SLIP-like legs as well as more anthropomorphic legs) and the design and analysis biomechanics experiments.

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  Biosketch

  
  Not available at this time, please check again

© UofM College of Engineering Control Research Group - December 1997
bethi@umich.edu