Rapid acceleration and braking: Inspirations from the cheetah's tail

Stimulated by recent biomechanics research of the cheetah, a novel tail controller system for rapid acceleration and braking is presented. To understand the targeted behaviour of a cheetah performing a longitudinal manoeuvre and the effects an actuated tail has, a simple mathematical template was developed. Subsequently feedback controllers were designed based on our hypothesis. Finally, the control system was experimentally tested on a reduced order robot model which increased its manoeuvrability considerably.

I. Introduction

A recent biomechanics study [1] indicates that the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is not only the fastest terrestrial animal but possibly also the most manoeuvrable. In their findings, the authors suggest that the animal's ability to rapidly brake and accelerate could be assisted by the animal's lengthy tail. However, if the cheetah is using its tail for these manoeuvres, what is the neuromechanical strategy for doing so?