Terrain adaptive gaits for the Ambler

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Abstract
The configuration of the Ambler, a six-legged autonomous walking vehicle for exploring Mars, enables the recovery of a trailing leg past the leading leg to reduce the energy expenditure in terrain interactions. In this paper, gaits developed for this unprecedented configuration are described. A stability criterion has been developed which ensures stability of the vehicle in the event of failure of any one of the supporting legs. Periodic gaits developed for the Ambler utilize the Ambler's unique abilities and continuously satisfy the stability criterion. The performance of the periodic gait which provides minimum terrain interactions per advancement has been further improved by enabling terrain adaptive foot placement without disturbance of the gait parameters.

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