Optimization of quadruped robot locomotion gaits through a genetic algorithm

Abstract

During the last years research and development on legged robots has grown steadily. Leggedsystems present major advantages when compared with “traditional” vehicles, allowinglocomotion in terrain inaccessible to vehicles with wheels and tracks. However, its energy consumption still lag being these vehicles, existing several aspects that need to be improvedand optimized.One of them regards the parameters values that these machines should adopt to minimize the energy consumption. Due to the large number of parameters involved in this optimization process one way to achieve meaningful results is using evolutionary strategies. Genetic Algorithms are away to “imitate nature”replicating the process that nature designed forthe generation and evolutionof species. The objective of this paper is to present a genetic algorithm, running over a simulationapplication oflegged robots, which allows the optimization of several parameters of a quadrupedrobot model, for distinct locomotion gaits. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014.