Analysis of physical capability of a biped humanoid: walking speed and actuator specifications

The reliability of stable walk and the development of high performance components are two crucial issues to develop a humanoid with human-like physical capability. In order to for the humanoid to walk smoothly and to adapt to unknown environments, we first propose a balance control that combines a feedforward dynamic pattern and a feedback sensory reflection. Then, we present a method for clarifying the relationship between the physical capability and actuator's specifications. Using this method, it is possible to predict the walking speed based on known actuator specifications and to obtain the necessary specifications to accomplish a desired walking speed. Finally, experiments of an 26-DOF humanoid and simulation examples are provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.