Cpg Control of a Tensegrity Morphing Structure for Biomimetic Applications

Rhythmic movements associated with animal locomotion are controlled by neuronal circuits known as central pattern generators (CPG). These biological control systems appear to entrain to the natural frequencies of the mechanical systems they control, taking advantage of the resonance of the structure, resulting in efficient control. The ultimate goal is employing these controls in a biomimetic autonomous underwater vehicle so as to capture, and possibly improve upon, the performance capabilities of animals like the manta ray. To this end, this paper investigates the CPG control of a simple tensegrity structure. The dynamics of a tensegrity structure are linearized about a nominal configuration, and a synthesized CPG is used as the control input. Successful integration is shown by the CPG’s ability to tune the structure’s first