Sensor-driven neuromorphic walking leg control

We present a simple neuromorphic central pattern generators (CPG) circuit module, which is essentially a pair of coupled oscillators, to actuate a joint on a leg. This novel, reconfigurable CPG module is able to generate different motor patterns of different frequencies or duty cycles, simply by changing a few of circuit parameters. Three CPG modules, corresponding to three joints, can make an arthropod leg of three degrees of freedom (DOFs). With appropriate circuit parameter settings, and thus suitable phase lags among joints, the leg is expected to walk on a complex terrain with adaptive steps. The adaptation is associated with the circuit parameters mediated by external commands or sensory signals. Simulation results for the circuitry, designed using a 0.35 mum process, are reported.