Historical and Modern Perspective of Walking Robots

Abstract

Study of historical evolution and modern point of view on a complex subject like robotics invokes motivations and professionalisms among the researchers. Research on walking machines started at the time of Leonardo da Vinci and that ultimately culminated into the development of the modern walking robots through the transformations and refinements of the ideas and design methodology over the centuries. Obviously, the allied technology of mechatronics, particularly for sensing, actuation, and control, available at various points of time in the past influenced the design and implementation of walking robot quite heavily. The urge for mimicking the walking creatures in the past and the various efforts to apply the knowledge gathered from the observations of the biological world in the design and control of walking robots has added a new dimension as well as posed many new challenges in the walking robot research. However, the various challenges faced during the design and implementation of walking robots in the past and lessons learned from them to overcome those challenges enriched the technology of walking robot and drove it toward maturity. Therefore, the knowledge of the historical evolution of walking robotics research and its modern point of view will definitely inspire a robotics researcher for undertaking new challenges for the design and development of walking robots and will also guide him to take correct design decision. This chapter presents the historical evolution of walking robots and its perspective in a condensed manner.