Andy Ruina research

BioRobotics and Locomotion Lab (a.k.a. The Human Power, Biomechanics, and Robotics Lab), 306 Kimball Hall, Cornell, 607-255-7108.
Students present and past;  ideas for undergraduate or M-Eng projects;   report guidelines;   Publicity about the Lab

Robots & papers
Straight-legged passive-dynamic walker (1992): Cornell's first walking robot, ball-point pen mechanism.
Simplest passive walker (1996): Theory of simplest possible passive-dynamic walking machine.
McGeer-like passive 2D 4-leg `bipeds' (1995-98): Reproduces McGeers machines, extends his theory.
2-leg passive bipeds with knees (1998-2001): Most naturally-walking passive robots.
Tinkertoys (1997-2001): Walks but can't stand still. Experiments and theory.
Powered biped (2003): Perhaps the most efficient and most natural walking powered robot in the world.
Brachiating robots (98-2004): Coleman's tinkertoy monkeys, Gomes perectly efficient simulations.

Biomechanics experiments
Energy of walking and the non-uniqueness of the frequency-speed relations (2000-2004).
Effect of inertia on energy of pedaling (1992).

Biomechanics, locomotion and and robotics theory
Zero-energy walking at finite speed (2003-2004): Gomes simulations
Zero-energy many-DOF brachiation (ape swinging) (2001-2004): Gomes simulations
Zero-energy massive-foot hopping
Leg sequencing in horse galloping (2001-2004)
Nonholonomic Dynamics  (walking, even in 2D, is non-holonomic and can inheret some stability from such)     
Rimless wheel in 3D
Rowing mechanics    (rowing simulator, simple theoretical models of rowing)

Collision mechanics  (theory of so called rigid-body collisions)
Bicycle mechanics  
 (especially equations describing stability)
Friction mechanics    (state variable friction, stability, and sliding hockey pucks) 
Fracture Mechanics    (Why is there a dominant K term?, fracture of fluid saturated porous media)



Please send comments about these WWW pages to ruina@cornell.edu.