A Study of Flexible Energy-Saving Joint for Biped Robots Considering Sagittal Plane Motion

摘要

A flexible ankle joint for biped walking robots is proposed to investigate the influence of joint stiffness on motor's peak torque and energy consumption of the sagittal plane motion during the single support phase. Firstly, an improved model of the inverted pendulum is established, which is the theoretical foundation of the flexible ankle joint. Then the analysis of the analytic method of flexible joint is presented based on the improved model of the inverted pendulum. Finally, dynamic simulations of the flexible joint are performed to examine the correctness of analytic method. The results show that the flexible joint can reduce the joint motor's peak torque and energy consumption. Furthermore, there is an optimal joint stiffness of the flexible system, which can minimum peak torque with reduction of 45.99% and energy consumption with reduction of 51.65%.