Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #00945



To: beam beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Richard Piotter richfile@rconnect.com
Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 14:25:16 -0600
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Walk this way. What way?


Well, leg based locomotion is very easy once you het the ideas. Balance isn't as
big a problem on 6+ legged machines, and even 4 legged machines can operate with
no active balance.

When you say what you did, It sounded like you wanted to hear how more complex
robots and life forms move their legs, but you'de be suprised, both the 2 and 3
motor walkers move in a similar way, just scaled down in the number of axes of
movement. It's still the basic idea of diagonal legs on the ground at once and
the other diagonal legs of the ground. That's the basics. It get's more complex
to balance if you reduce the legs, and it becomes more dificult to turn when you
add legs, so 4-6 seem to be the norm.

____________________
| |
2 O X | X O |
| |
----------|---------|
| |
4 O X | X O |
| |
X O | O X |
| |
----------|---------|
| |
6 O X | X O |
| |
X O | O X |
| |
O X | X O |
| |
----------|---------|
| |
8 O X | X O |
| |
X O | O X |
| |
O X | X O |
| |
X O | O X |
__________|_________|

Wh all the above, you basicly lift one leg and move it forward, while you push
the other legs downward and back. To turn, you can reduce the front/back "swing"
on one side and/or increase it on the other side. You can also stop the
forward/backward swing on one side to take a tight turn (continue lifting the
legs to reduce the twist). If you want a turn on a dime motion, reverse one side
of the legs. This is how Quadrapod walks (the 4 legged diagram specificly)


Richard Piotter
richfile@rconnect.com

The Richfiles Robotics & TI web page:
http://members.xoom.com/richfiles

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