Abstract
This paper investigates dynamic bipedal gait and its stability from the mechanical energy balance point of view. The equilibrium point at impact in a dynamic gait is uniquely determined by the two conditions; one is maintaining the restored mechanical energy constant, the other is to settle the relative hip-joint angle to the desired value. The equilibrium point determined by these conditions is always asymptotically stable and this is shown by a simple recurrence formula of the pre-impact kinetic energy. The validity of our method is numerically confirmed via gait generation by virtual passive dynamic walking.
