A novel hardware-efficient CPG model for a hexapod robot based on nonlinear dynamics of coupled asynchronous cellular automaton oscillators

This paper presents a novel central pattern generator (CPG) model based on nonlinear dynamics of asynchronous cellular automata. It is shown that the presented CPG model can exhibit various synchronization phenomena depending on parameter values. In order to evaluate usefulness of the presented CPG model, this paper focuses on controlling a hexapod robot shown in Fig. 1. Based on intensive analyses of the synchronization phenomena, a parameter tuning method to realize a tripod gait of the hexapod robot is derived. Then the CPG model with a tuned parameter value is implemented in a field programmable gate array and it is shown that the CPG model can realize a tripod gait of the hexapod robot. Also, it is shown that the presented CPG model uses much fewer circuit elements and consumes much less power compared to a conventional CPG model.