A Webbed Foot Design of Amphibious Quadruped Robot to Adapt Coastal Environment in Simulation

The paper introduces an innovative webbed foot design for amphibious quadruped robots, aiming to address the challenges of traversing between water and land. Inspired by the natural locomotion of ducks, the robot's foot mechanism is engineered to provide efficient propulsion in water and stable locomotion on land. The design incorporates dual-hinged feet with a spring mechanism, enabling dynamic environmental adaptation. The study suggests that the webbed foot design offers a promising solution for amphibious locomotion, with potential for further advancements in whole-body control and underwater gait optimization. In the simulation environment, the system encompasses inverse kinematics for leg trajectory simulation, gait planning with cycloid tracks, and a Proportional-Derivative (PD) controller for ankle adaptability. An analytical force model also accounts for granular media and fluid dynamics, enhancing the robot's performance in diverse conditions. Experimental trials, involving stability and velocity comparisons on inclined planes with and without sinusoidal forces, demonstrate the flipped robot's superior stability and comparable speed. Future work will focus on long-term durability testing and the development of more adaptive locomotion strategies.