Locomotion and Robotics - Papers


Computer Optimization of a Minimal Biped Model Discovers Walking and Running, Manoj Srinivasan and Andy Ruina, Nature Magazine, (online version dated Sept 11, 2005), 5 January 2006, Vol 439, Pages 72-75 doi:10.1038/nature04113 (pdf preprint)

Get the idea in this nice news story. Also glance at a talk given at Cornell (Feb 06) and Michigan (May 06) on related topics (pdf).

Videos:
1) Right-click (ctrl-click) on video (16 meg)
    This video shows walking, running, pendular running, and level
    walking. View in slow motion to see better. These were made by
    Deborah King of Ithaca college.

2) Michigan videos of various gaits, including the pendular run
    Note the readme guide to files. Right-click to download videos (don't double click).
    The most relevant video is pendularrun1.25.mpg in the folder
    "walking with forces".

See also these more expansive papers on related topics:

Why walk and run: energetic costs and energetic optimality in simple mechanics-based models of a bipedal animal Manoj Srinivasan's 2006 Cornell PhD thesis (pdf).

A collisional model of the energetic cost of support work qualitatively explains leg sequencing in walking and galloping, pseudo-elastic leg behavior in running and the walk-to-run transition (PDF), Ruina, A., Bertram, J.E.A., Srinivasan, M., Journal of Theoretical Biology, Volume 237, Issue 2, Pages 170-192, November 21, 2005.

For more information on related see the author's web sites:

 Manoj Srinivasan     
 Andy Ruina  


Please send Web site comments to ruina@cornell.edu.