Design and control of human assisted walking robot

The study aims to reduce the complexity of autonomous walking robots by involving the human in the operation of the machine. By taking advantage of the intelligence of the operator, the complexity of bipedal locomotion was reduced to tractable problem. The result of this research is that a two-legged, single actuated degree of freedom, walking machine was designed, built, and tested. The robot successfully navigated terrain including steep inclines and stairs. Additionally, a mechatronic control system was added to provide for smooth speed control and regulation. The leg driving architecture, the double four-bar linkage, designed for this machine can be extended to produce simplified fourand six-legged walking machines. The preliminary results can be used to extend this concept to a machine with an actuated balance assist system based on the human operator's interaction with the machine.