Towards Understanding Animal and Robot Locomotion in Complex 3-D Terrain

Explore the cutting-edge research on animal and robot locomotion in complex 3-D terrain in this hour-long lecture by Chen Li from Johns Hopkins University. Delve into the challenges of traversing obstacles as large as the robots themselves, a crucial ability for applications like search and rescue in rubble, environmental monitoring in forests, and sample collection on extraterrestrial surfaces. Learn how Li's lab bridges the gap between animal capabilities and robotic limitations by studying physical interactions with the environment during locomotor transitions. Discover the interdisciplinary approach combining biology, engineering, and physics to create model challenges and experimental platforms for controlled studies of legged and limbless organisms. Gain insights into the development of robotic physical models, measurement techniques for locomotor-terrain interaction, and physics modeling to understand and control locomotion. Understand the progress made in advancing robot performance through revealed physical principles and strategies, and the ongoing work in sensing physical interaction, feedback control, and reactive planning for robust transitions across heterogeneous terrain.