Angular observation of joints of geckos moving on horizontal and vertical surfaces

Scholars in the Institute of Bio-inspired Structure and Surface Engineering (IBSS), Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA) used a three-dimensional locomotion video-recording and measuring system to observe and measure the angular rotation of joints in gecko's limbs when they were running on horizontal floor and climbing on vertical wall. This work helps us to understand gecko's locomotion from the view point of angle change of joints and to provide a direct reference to plan the gait of gecko-robots.

This research was published in Chinese Science Bulletin, Volume 53, Issue 22, 2008 and was performed by Li Hongkai, Dai Zhendong, Shi Aiju, Zhang Hao, Sun Jiurong.

Geckos have excellent locomotion abilities to move on various surfaces. The ability is highly desired by the robot moving in unstructured environments, especially legged robots. But the stability, agility, robustness, environmental adaptability, and energy efficiency of modern robots lag far behind that of correspondent animals. This research provides an insight into how geckos coordinate the joint angles on limbs and meet the requirements of moving on various surfaces.

The angular observation was performed to describe the difference between the locomotion on horizontal and vertical surfaces. The data collected from huge video recording and long vapid processing reveal the spatio-temporal rotation trajectory, extrema, ranges of each joint in forelimb and hind limb, the phase diagram of limb angles. Results of the experiments provide a direct intuitionistic presentation about the gait of gecko moving on horizontal and vertical surfaces with different speed.

The IBSS, founded and headed by Prof. Dai in 2003, is an interdisciplinary group, which consists of scholars with background of mechanical and electric engineering, neural science and material chemistry. They focus on the locomotion modulating, gecko-like robot developing, lightweight structure and material, and bio-inspired surface technology.

This research was supported by the National High Technology Research and Development Program and the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and also we wish to thank the staff and students in IBSS who have contributed a lot.

Reference: Li Hongkai, Dai Zhendong, Shi Aiju, Zhang Hao, Sun Jiurong. Angular observation of joints of Geckos moving on horizontal and vertical surfaces. Chinese Science Bulletin. 2008,Volume 53(22).