Simple multi-legged model reveals that Retrograde-wave gait rather attenuates body oscillation than Direct-wave gait

EasyChair Preprint 1750

Abstract

Multi-legged animals show mainly two types of ipsilateral interlimb coordination. Millipedes show the direct-wave gait in which the swing leg movements propagate from posterior to anterior, while some centipedes show the retrograde-wave gait in which the swing movements propagate inversely. Centipedes often oscillate their body on horizontal plane as the walking speed gets faster, while millipedes do not show this feature. However, the functional differences between those two gaits are not clear. As the purpose of this study, we investigate whether the retrograde-wave gait rather induces body oscillation than the direct-wave gait as the functional difference using simulation. We model the multi-legged animal by the simple springy multi-link model actuated by external forces on the links. Then we investigate the effect of direct- and retrograde-wave gaits on the body oscillation. Our result shows that the retrograde-wave gait rather attenuates the body oscillation than the direct-wave gait, which contradicts the preference of body oscillation and retrograde-wave gait in centipedes.

Keyphrases: Body oscillation, Direct wave gait, Interlimb coordination, Multi-legged animal, Retrograde wave gait, continuum robot, legged animal

@booklet{EasyChair:1750,
  author    = {Yuichi Ambe and Shinya Aoi},
  title     = {Simple multi-legged model reveals that Retrograde-wave gait rather attenuates body oscillation than Direct-wave gait},
  howpublished = {EasyChair Preprint 1750},
  year      = {EasyChair, 2019}}