Which is Better?

Abstract

Natural multiped gaits are believed to evolve from countless generations of natural selection. However, do they also prove to be better choices for walking machines? This paper compares two surefooted gaits, one natural and the other artificial, for six-legged animals or robots. In these gaits four legs are used to support the body, enabling greater stability and tolerance for faults. A standardized hexapod model was carefully examined as it moved in arbitrary directions. The study also introduced a new factor in addition to the traditional stability margin criterion to evaluate the equilibrium of such gaits. Contrary to the common belief that natural gaits would always provide better stability during locomotion, these results show that the artificial gait is superior to the natural gait when moving transversely in precarious conditions.