Neural Control for Locomotion of Walking Machines

Neural control and adaptive neural forward models for insect-like, energy-efficient, and adaptable locomotion of walking machines

Living creatures, like walking animals, have found fascinating solutions for the problem of locomotion control. Their movements show the impression of elegance including versatile, energy-efficient, and adaptable locomotion. During the last few decades, roboticists have tried to imitate such natural properties with artificial legged locomotion systems by using different approaches including mac...

Modular Reactive Neurocontrol for Biologically Inspired Walking Machines

A neurocontroller is described which generates the basic locomotion and controls the sensor-driven behavior ofa four-legged and a sixlegged walking machine. The controller utilizes discrete-time neurodynamics, and is ofmodular structure. One module isfor processing sensor signals, one is a neural oscillator network serving as a central pattern generator, and the third one is a so-called velocit...

Reactive Neural Control for Phototaxis and Obstacle Avoidance Behavior of Walking Machines

This paper describes reactive neural control used to generate phototaxis and obstacle avoidance behavior of walking machines. It utilizes discrete-time neurodynamics and consists of two main neural modules: neural preprocessing and modular neural control. The neural preprocessing network acts as a sensory fusion unit. It filters sensory noise and shapes sensory data to drive the corresponding r...

Sensor-driven neural control for omnidirectional locomotion and versatile reactive behaviors of walking machines

Control of Walking Machines With Artificial Reflexes

This paper describes the augmentation of our concept for the locomotion control of multi-legged walking machines. The concept is based on a neural control with artificial reflexes to react on sensor input. It is improved with the help of new sensorics as well as an internal ground map, build up with sensor information. Parts of the general concept together with the used sensorics are introduced...