Quadrupedal Robot that can Walk, Trot, Gallop and Jump

We propose to design, build, control, and test a full-scale quadrupedal robot. The robot will have capabilities that allow it to overcome many of the hurdles that currently impede conventional wheeled and tracked vehicles. The robot will be able to scramble over debris, step over ledges and gaps, jump over ditches and small obstacles, and run up stairs. This robot will fill a role in several Army mission scenarios, including acting as a scout in an urban environment. The Phase II deliverables will include an outdoor demonstration of a functional prototype. In an ongoing Army-sponsored SBIR Phase I project, we are performing a feasibility study of the quadrupedal robot. We have performed physically realistic simulations of the quadruped, developed control algorithms for walking, trotting, and jumping and extracted the power requirements from those simulations. These power requirements have been used to specify power and actuation systems for the robot to be built in Phase II. The control system development and the power system designs demonstrate that the robot is technically feasible and should be able to perform its mission objectives.