The Yoyo-Man

Abstract

The Yoyo-Man project is a research action tending to explore the synergies of anthropomorphic locomotion. The seminal hypothesis is to consider the wheel as a plausible model of bipedal walking. In this paper we report on preliminary results developed along three perspectives combining biomechanics, neurophysiology and robotics. From a motion capture data basis of human walkers we first identify the center of mass (CoM) as a geometric center from which the motions of the feet are organized. Then we show how rimless wheels that model most passive walkers are better controlled when equipped with a stabilized mass on top of them. CoM and head play complementary roles that define what we call the Yoyo-Man.