IMPLEMENTING AND TESTING A REASONING-BASED FREE GAIT ALGORITHM IN THE6-LEGGED WALKING MACHINE, MECANT

The paper deals with a free-gait algorithm and its implementation into a hydraulic walking machine called MECANT. The gait planner is based on heuristic rules which take into account in every planning cycle the temporal direction and velocity of motion, the availability of the le gs to start a new working cycle, the stability of the machine in the d irection of motion, and possible collisions between neighboring legs. The free gait considered is especially useful in conditions when the m achine is executing omnidirectional motion in rough terrain. Compared to wave gait or adaptive wave gait, a more flexible motion and improve d stability can be obtained. The paper includes verification experimen ts with a simulator, and experience with the real machine.