Towards the Exploitation of Physical Compliance in Segmented and Electrically Actuated Robotic Legs: A Review Focused on Elastic Mechanisms

Physical compliance has been increasingly used in robotic legs, due to its advantages in terms of the mechanical regulation of leg mechanics and energetics and the passive response to abrupt external disturbances during locomotion. This article presents a review of the exploitation of physical compliance in robotic legs. Particular attention has been paid to the segmented, electrically actuated robotic legs, such that a comparable analysis can be provided. The utilization of physical compliance is divided into three main categories, depending on the setting locations and configurations, namely, (1) joint series compliance, (2) joint parallel compliance, and (3) leg distal compliance. With an overview of the representative work related to each category, the corresponding working principles and implementation processes of various physical compliances are explained. After that, we analyze in detail some of the structural characteristics and performance influences of the existing designs, including the realization method, compliance profile, damping design, and quantitative changes in terms of mechanics and energetics. In parallel, the design challenges and possible future works associated with physical compliance in robotic legs are also identified and proposed. This article is expected to provide useful paradigmatic implementations and design guidance for physical compliance for researchers in the construction of novel physically compliant robotic legs. View Full-Text

Keywords: physical compliance; robotic legs; electrically actuated; series compliance; parallel compliance

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MDPI and ACS Style

Chen, J.; Liang, Z.; Zhu, Y.; Liu, C.; Zhang, L.; Hao, L.; Zhao, J. Towards the Exploitation of Physical Compliance in Segmented and Electrically Actuated Robotic Legs: A Review Focused on Elastic Mechanisms. Sensors 2019, 19, 5351. https://doi.org/10.3390/s19245351

AMA Style

Chen J, Liang Z, Zhu Y, Liu C, Zhang L, Hao L, Zhao J. Towards the Exploitation of Physical Compliance in Segmented and Electrically Actuated Robotic Legs: A Review Focused on Elastic Mechanisms. Sensors. 2019; 19(24):5351. https://doi.org/10.3390/s19245351

Chicago/Turabian Style

Chen, Jie, Zhongchao Liang, Yanhe Zhu, Chong Liu, Lei Zhang, Lina Hao, and Jie Zhao. 2019. "Towards the Exploitation of Physical Compliance in Segmented and Electrically Actuated Robotic Legs: A Review Focused on Elastic Mechanisms" Sensors 19, no. 24: 5351. https://doi.org/10.3390/s19245351

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Towards the Exploitation of Physical Compliance in Segmented and Electrically Actuated Robotic Legs: A Review Focused on Elastic Mechanisms

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