RE: [DS, SG] Walkers

G'day,
 
> Source ? Or URL ?

It came from my current contents autoupdate this morning (automated
search
facility that checks a database of the latest abstracts once a week). If
its
any help I've stuck the abstract in below.

Cheers

Beth

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Title: Behavior and adaptability of a six-legged walking system with
highly
distributed control				|
Author: Kindermann T(kindermann@biologie.uni-bielefeld.de)(Reprint)
Journal: ADAPTIVE BEHAVIOR, 2001, vol. 9 (1)  pp. 16 - 41.
Abstract. A situated, moderately complex kinematic system-here an
18-degree-of-freedom six-legged walking system-can show a variety of
behaviors, even when controlled by a relatively simple controller.
Therefore, a detailed quantitative study of the behavior of such a
system is
necessary to achieve an understanding of its properties. This
"artificial
ethology" is applied to a controller with a decentralized structure that
uses essential design characteristics of its biological model, the stick
insect. The system takes advantage of recurrent connections that
establish a
loop through the environment. Despite its completely reactive nature,
the
system can adapt to unpredictable external conditions with no need for
specific	reprogramming. Leg trajectories are always adapted such
that
mechanical stress is reduced. This even holds true for special
situations
like, for example, walking over obstacles, stumbling, or walking with
partially or totally amputated legs. Similarities and important
discrepancies between the model's behavior and the walking behavior of
stick
insects are discussed.
Keywords. Author-assigned Keywords: motor control; walking; stick
insect;
distributed control; adaptability  
ISI-assigned Keywords Plus: INSECT CARAUSIUS-MOROSUS; STICK INSECT;
COUPLING
MECHANISMS; PATTERN GENERATION; PARAMETERS CONTROL; IPSILATERAL LEGS;
LOADING PARALLEL; MUSCLE RECEPTOR; HEXAPOD ROBOT; ROUGH TERRAIN