Autonomous Walking in Natural Terrain: A Retrospective on the Performance of the Ambler

Abstract

The objective of our research is to enable robotic exploration of remote, natural areas. Toward this end, we have developed an integrated walking system for the Ambler—a six-legged walking robot designed for planetary exploration—and tested it in indoor and outdoor autonomous walking trials. In this paper, we summarize our approach to autonomous walking, compare it to other approaches from the literature, and present results of the walking trials. Then we assess the performance relative to our objectives for self-reliant control, power-efficient locomotion, and traversal of rugged terrain.