Next-generation bionic quadruped robot

In this project, a quadruped robot integrated with a tensegrity spine will be developed to investigate advanced mobility over quadruped robots of general forms. The monolithic rigid body of conventional quadruped robots limits the overall workspace of the leg system and the robots' adaptability over diverse errains. Inspired by the morphology of real quadruped animals, an actuated deformable body based on a bio-tensegrity tetrahedron spine is introduced to the robot, to bring flexibility and agility to the system as well as improving robustness. he project will contribute important and currently missing capability for the University of York to lead research in the field of legged robotics. The compliance of the tensegrity spine enables the robot to access much narrower and more challenging work environments such as nuclear and mine areas. However, the additional flexibility also makes the control of the system more complicated, which is the key
objective and will be addressed within this project.