Hexapedal robotic platform for amphibious locomotion on ground and water surface

Abstract

Bio-inspiration is a starting point from which to design engineering products by learning the secrets of living creatures. We present the design, analysis, and experimental results of a robotic platform inspired by the basilisk lizard, which is well known for its ability to run on water surface. The goal is to develop a robotic platform for amphibious locomotion on ground and water using a single configuration. A tripod gait is achieved with a hexapedal configuration and four-bar-based repeated motion of the legs. The hexapedal configuration is empirically proven to have an advantage in terms of rolling stability on water. On ground, the tripod gait can satisfy the requirements of static stability to make the center of gravity and center of pressure occur at the same position. The footpad design was determined based on an empirical study of the rolling stability and lifting force. The theoretical background and experimental results are presented to validate the ability of the proposed design to run on water and on the ground.