The basic mechanics of bipedal walking lead to asymmetric behavior

Abstract-This paper computationally investigates whether gait asymmetries can be attributed in part to basic bipedal mechanics independent of motor control. Using a symmetrical rigid-body model known as the compass-gait biped, we show that changes in environmental or physiological parameters can facilitate asymmetry in gait kinetics at fast walking speeds. In the environmental case, the asymmetric family of high-speed gaits is in fact more stable than the symmetric family of lowspeed gaits. These simulations suggest that lower extremity mechanics might play a direct role in functional and pathological asymmetries reported in human walking, where velocity may be a common variable in the emergence and growth of asymmetry

Climbing and Walking Robots

Nowadays robotics is one of the most dynamic fields of scientific researches. The shift of robotics researches from manufacturing to services applications is clear. During the last decades interest in studying climbing and walking robots has been increased. This increasing interest has been in many areas that most important ones of them are: mechanics, electronics, medical engineering, cybernetics, controls, and computers. Today’s climbing and walking robots are a combination of manipulative, perceptive, communicative, and cognitive abilities and they are capable of performing many tasks in industrial and non- industrial environments. Surveillance, planetary exploration, emergence rescue operations, reconnaissance, petrochemical applications, construction, entertainment, personal services, intervention in severe environments, transportation, medical and etc are some applications from a very diverse application fields of climbing and walking robots. By great progress in this area of robotics it is anticipated that next generation climbing and walking robots will enhance lives and will change the way the human works, thinks and makes decisions. This book presents the state of the art achievments, recent developments, applications and future challenges of climbing and walking robots. These are presented in 24 chapters by authors throughtot the world The book serves as a reference especially for the researchers who are interested in mobile robots. It also is useful for industrial engineers and graduate students in advanced study