# Research on Dynamic Modeling Method and Flying Gait Characteristics of Quadruped Robots with Flexible Spines

## TL;DR

This paper studies how flexible spines in quadruped robots affect their high-speed motion during flight phases, comparing them to rigid-trunk robots.

## Contribution

The novel contribution is establishing dynamic models for flexible-spine quadruped robots and analyzing their flight phase motion characteristics.

## Key findings

- Flexible spines significantly influence the flight phase motion of quadruped robots.
- Comparative experiments show differences in flight phase performance between rigid and flexible spine robots.
- Parameterized models help describe and compare motion dynamics during the flight phase.

## Abstract

In recent years, both domestic and international research on quadruped robots has advanced towards high dynamics and agility, with a focus on high-speed locomotion as a representative motion in high-dynamic activities. Quadruped animals like cheetahs exhibit high-speed running capabilities, attributed to the indispensable role played by their flexible spines during the flight phase motion. This paper establishes dynamic models of flexible spinal quadruped robots with different degrees of simplification, providing a parameterized description of the flight phase motion for both rigid-trunk and flexible-spine quadruped robots. By setting different initial values for the spine joint and calculating the flight phase results for both types of robots at various initial velocities, the study compares and analyzes the impact of a flexible spine on the flight phase motion of quadruped robots. Through comparative experiments, the research aims to validate the influence of a flexible spine during the flight phase motion, providing insights into how spine flexibility affects the flight phase motion of quadruped robots.