We have been developing human-sized biped robots based on passive dynamic mechanisms. In human locomotion, the muscles activate at the same rate relative to the gait cycle during running. To achieve adaptive running for robots, such characteristics should be reproduced to yield the desired effect, In this study, we designed a central pattern generator (CPG) involving fast and slow adaptation to achieve human-like running using a simple spring-mass model and our developed bipedal robot, which is equipped with actuators that imitate the human musculoskeletal system. Our results demonstrate that the CPG-based controller with fast and slow adaptations, and a adjustable actuator control timing can reproduce human-like running. The results suggest that the CPG contributes to the adjustment of the muscle activation timing in human running.

翻译：我们一直在开发基于被动动力学机制的类人尺寸双足机器人。在人类运动过程中，肌肉在奔跑时的激活频率与步态周期保持相同步率。为实现机器人的自适应奔跑能力，需复现此类特征以产生期望效果。本研究设计了一种包含快慢适应机制的中央模式发生器（CPG），通过简化的弹簧-质量模型及我们开发的、配备模拟人体肌肉骨骼系统执行器的双足机器人，实现了类人奔跑。结果表明，具有快慢适应机制及可调执行器控制时序的CPG控制器能够复现类人奔跑行为。这一发现提示，CPG可能参与了人类奔跑过程中肌肉激活时序的调节。