Rule-based motion coordination for the adaptive suspension vehicle

Abstract

This study investigates the utility of rule-based coordination of motion for rough-terrain locomotion by a hexapod walking machine. The logic for generating leg commands is written in Prolog while the simulation of the terrain and of the vehicle kinematics, as well as low lev3el on-board computer functions, are written in extended Common Lisp. It is found that this approach results in code that is much easier to understand and modify than previous motion coordination programs written in Pascal. The authors believe that both the methodology and the stepping logic presented in this report possess sufficient merit to justify full-scale physical testing in the Adaptive Suspension Vehicle operated under DARPA contract by Ohio State University