Published online by Cambridge University Press: 26 November 2014
An optimization model is developed in this paper for the joint trajectories of a hopping robot with a four-bar linkage leg. The dynamic behaviour of the one-legged robot is investigated during the stance and swing phases, and their impacts on gait planning are analysed. Certain constraints characterizing the continuous and cyclic motion of the robot are obtained. The optimization model is solved for the minimum torque and maximum velocity objective functions separately, and the results are compared with those in nature.