Coordinative motion planning for head stabilization of a bird-neck inspired flexible robot

To address the critical challenge of end-effector stabilization in bipedal robots while enhancing upper-body motion flexibility, this study introduces a novel bionic fully-elastically-connected tensegrity robot (BFEC-TR) inspired by the biomechanics of avian cervical construction. The proposed design transcends conventional approaches by implementing a multi-nodes bionic tensegrity structure that enables superior spatial deformation capabilities, complemented by an innovative elastic muscle control strategy for dynamic stabilization across multiple locomotion gaits: swing, walking, and running. The study encompasses three key technical contributions. First, we establish a comprehensive dynamic model of the BFEC-TR through kinematic geometric analysis. Second, we develop a feedforward control strategy that explicitly addresses the dynamic requirements of various gaits by establishing the relationship between gait parameters and control parameters, thereby ensuring segmental coordination for head stabilization. Within this control framework, we derive an optimal configuration that maintains bionic posture under energy-efficient driving criteria. Finally, extensive experimental validation demonstrates the efficacy of the proposed control strategy across different locomotion gaits. This work provides biologically-inspired design paradigm and control methodology to achieve spatial dynamic stabilization for bipedal robot end-effectors. The integration of tensegrity principles with biological inspiration from avian neck mechanics presents a novel direction for enhancing the performance and adaptability of robotic systems in dynamic environments.