Central Pattern Generator Based Omnidirectional Locomotion for Quadrupedal Robotics

Trajectory generation for quadruped robots is a challenging task since they are underactuated systems which must balance using sensory feedback and satisfy ground contact constraints. There is a substantial body of evidence that many animals use central pattern generators (CPGs) for generating joint trajectories and regulation through sensory feedback. However, CPG models formulated in the joint space do not explicitly formulate or account for ground contact constraints, especially during turning which can introduce foot slip in the gait. Task-based CPGs offer several advantages in that they can explicitly satisfy ground contact constraints, and we suggest an approach to generating foot velocity controls in the body frame to enable omnidirectional locomotion.