BIOMIMETIC APPROACH FOR TORTOISE-LIKE ROBOT MODELING AND CONTROL

摘要

In this paper we study the locomotion behavior in the terrestrial tortoise, Geochelone graeca to present a biomimetic approach for modeling and controlling a virtual model of tortoise like robot. While the work performed focuses on a particular animal, the method used is not specific and can be applied for others. Many Experiments in vivo and vitro were performed on adult specimens, including X-ray filming of animal in motion, 3D scan of bones and Schell of naturally dead tortoises and measures of the contact forces between the animal and the ground. The collected data provided us with the inertial proprieties, the lengths and masses of body limbs, the nature of joints, their corresponding axis of revolution, the angular trajectories between joints and finally the ground reaction forces on each leg. The physical proprieties were useful to build the virtual robot while the real recording of the animal in motion were used to control it.