How to Engineer a Dog
-- posted October 2015 --
This is a 6:32 minutes video on “How to engineer a dog” prepared by the researchers at ETH in Zurich.
According to the team, two important factors in replicating the kinematics and dynamics of motions of a dog are: (1) employ series elastic actuators, and (2) use sensors for measuring the contact forces with the environment.
Series elastic actuators have a spring in series with a motor, which dampens applied forces, and allows energy storage. This type of actuating has advantages in controlling interaction forces with the environment, over stiff and rigid structures where the motors are directly connected to the links, i.e., limbs. Also, some of the latest advanced robots (e.g., Baxter by ReThink Robotics, Meka A2 Compliant Manipulator by Meka Robotics) employ series elastic actuators, due to the ability for compliance and safe human-robot interaction.
Here’s the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6igNZiVtbxU
