Further Steps Toward More Human-like Passive Bipedal Walking Robots

This paper describes two-legged mechanical structure with ankle, knee and hip joints that is capable of walking in naturally stable walking cycle on downhill slope without presence of energy source. Bipedal model has elastic strings attached to the designated places that imitate a part of human muscular-skeletal system. By combining spring-like properties with passive walking principles we accomplish energy exchanges between biped segments during stance and swing phases that also simultaneously facilitate solution to foot clearance problem during swing phase by enabling the biped to perform rocking movement in lateral plane. We designed and examined behavior of the biped when walking with extended and flexible knees. The observed joint trajectories in the configuration with flexed knees were very similar to those observed in normal human walking. The results show new perspectives on future bipedal robots development and for studying involvement of particular muscle in human gait.