Rule-based Cooperative Transportation by Quadruped Robots

Abstract

This study proposes a method of cooperation for legged robots with their bodies vibrating in walking. The effectiveness of the method is verified by experiment of cooperative transportation by two quadruped robots on some steps. The approach adopts a simple mechanical end-effector : the supporting part on which an objects is only placed. This end-effector needs neither actuating functin nor precise sensing function so that it is light and simple. The motion method is also simple : a rule-based method to compose a leader-follower system in which each robot autonomously decides its own motion according to the object configuration. The robots of this system do not communicate each other explicitly but estimate the motion satates of the othetr robot according to the force information of the object. This communication method enables robots and humans to work cooperatively.