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 fast and slow adaptations can reproduce human-like running with a constant rate of muscle firing relative to the gait cycle. Furthermore, the results suggest that the CPG contributes to the adjustment of the muscle activation timing in human running.

翻译：我们一直基于被动动力学机制开发人形双足机器人。在人类运动过程中，跑步时肌肉的激活频率与步态周期保持恒定比例。为实现机器人的自适应奔跑能力，需要复现此类特征以产生预期效果。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），通过简易弹簧-质量模型及配备仿人类肌肉骨骼系统的双足机器人实现了类人奔跑。结果表明，快慢适应机制能以恒定肌肉激活频率（相对于步态周期）复现类人奔跑。此外，研究还提示CPG在调节人类奔跑过程中的肌肉激活时序方面具有关键作用。