Oncilla robot: a versatile open-source quadruped research robot with compliant pantograph legs

TL;DR

The Oncilla robot is a bioinspired, open-source quadruped platform capable of model-free locomotion, demonstrating agile movement with minimal sensory feedback and providing a tool for biomechanics and control research.

Contribution

This paper introduces the Oncilla robot, a versatile, open-source quadruped with compliant pantograph legs designed for model-free locomotion control and biomechanical research.

Findings

Locomotion is achievable without sensory feedback.

Adding feedback control improves robustness.

Open-source blueprints facilitate research and development.

Abstract

We present Oncilla robot, a novel mobile, quadruped legged locomotion machine. This large-cat sized, 5.1 robot is one of a kind of a recent, bioinspired legged robot class designed with the capability of model-free locomotion control. Animal legged locomotion in rough terrain is clearly shaped by sensor feedback systems. Results with Oncilla robot show that agile and versatile locomotion is possible without sensory signals to some extend, and tracking becomes robust when feedback control is added (Ajaoolleian 2015). By incorporating mechanical and control blueprints inspired from animals, and by observing the resulting robot locomotion characteristics, we aim to understand the contribution of individual components. Legged robots have a wide mechanical and control design parameter space, and a unique potential as research tools to investigate principles of biomechanics and legged locomotion control. But the hardware and controller design can be a steep initial hurdle for academic research. To facilitate the easy start and development of legged robots, Oncilla-robot's blueprints are available through open-source. [...]