Optimal Control Approach for Gait Transition with Riemannian Splines

TL;DR

This paper introduces a geometric optimal control method for smooth and efficient gait transitions in robotic locomotion, validated through simulations of three-link swimmers in different fluid environments.

Contribution

It presents a novel solver that formulates gait transition optimization as boundary value problems using Riemannian splines, building on prior geometric control techniques.

Findings

Effective gait transition trajectories generated for three-link swimmers

Insights into optimal trajectory geometries for robotic locomotion

Demonstrated adaptability across various fluid environments

Abstract

Robotic locomotion often relies on sequenced gaits to efficiently convert control input into desired motion. Despite extensive studies on gait optimization, achieving smooth and efficient gait transitions remains challenging. In this paper, we propose a general solver based on geometric optimal control methods, leveraging insights from previous works on gait efficiency. Building upon our previous work, we express the effort to execute the trajectory as distinct geometric objects, transforming the optimization problems into boundary value problems. To validate our approach, we generate gait transition trajectories for three-link swimmers across various fluid environments. This work provides insights into optimal trajectory geometries and mechanical considerations for robotic locomotion.