Evolutionary design and development techniques for an 8-legged robot

In the design and development of a legged robot, many factors need to be considered. As a consequence, creating a legged robot that can efficiently and autonomously negotiate a wide range of terrains is a challenging task. Many researchers working in the area of legged robotics have traditionally looked towards the natural world for inspiration and solutions, reasoning that these evolutionary solutions are appropriate and effective because they have passed the hard tests for survival over time and generations. However, natural problem solutions are not always available or relevant to human applications. This paper proposes the use of genetically inspired learning strategies, now commonly referred to as genetic algorithms, as an evolutionary design tool for improving the design and performance of a legged robot. The paper presents a specific case of finding optimal walking gaits for an 8-legged robot, and simulated results are provided.