Abstract
This paper presents preliminary results and analysis on generating turning motion of a humanoid robot by slipping the feet on the ground. Humans exploit the fact that our feet slip on the ground, so this is necessary for humanoids to realize sophisticated human-like motions. To generate the slip motion, we need to predict the amount of slip. We propose the hypothesis that the turning motion is caused by the effect of minimizing the power generated by floor friction. A model of rotation by friction force is described based on our hypothesis. The proposed model suggests that the only the trajectory and the shape of the robot’s feet decide the amount of rotation by slip, and that the friction coefficient between the floor and the robot’s soles and the feet velocity do not affect the resultant angle. The case that the robot applies same force on both feet is discussed, and then we extend the discussion to the case of different force distribution. Verification is conducted through experiment with the humanoid robot HRP-2.
