The Ohio State University

Forty Years of Walking and Running

The first legged robot with an integrated computer controller walked in 1968. Forty years later, legged robots are a reality in some industrial applications, and have been the subjects of very many research projects. There are still unanswered questions that prevent these systems from realizing the potential that was envisioned so many years ago.

In this presentation the author will review the both the very considerable progress that has been made, much of it at Ohio State University, and the issues that still prevent full realization of the potential. The talk will be illustrated by examples from many sources from the Phony Pony to Asimo and Big Dog, including the author's own work on the Adaptive Suspension Vehicle and KOLT. The talk will discuss both hardware issues such as sensing and actuation and the underlying theories on coordination and stability of multi-legged systems.

BIOGRAPHICAL SUMMARY

         Dr. Waldron obtained the degrees of Bachelor of Engineering and Master of Engineering Science from the University of Sydney (Australia). He received his PhD from Stanford University in 1969.  He was also awarded the degree of Doctor of Engineering by the University of Sydney in 1999.  After a period with Australian Iron and Steel Pty. Ltd. he has held teaching appointments at Stanford, the University of New South Wales, and the University of Houston, before joining The Ohio State University in 1979.  He served as department chairman from April 1st, 1993 to June 30^th, 2000. He joined Stanford University on September 1^st, 2000. He holds a half-time appointment at the University of Technology, Sydney effective July 2007.

         Dr. Waldron's research interests include machine design in general, and particularly geometric, mechanical and software design of robots and computer coordinated mechanical systems.  He is also active in research in medical device design, and in the simulation of medical procedures using virtual reality techniques. His interests include the kinematics and dynamics of mechanisms, and application of computer-aided engineering techniques to mechanism design. He has a particular interest in locomotory biomechanics and in the design of computer coordinated vehicles and robotic systems for use in unstructured environments.

         Dr. Waldron was the Editor of the ASME Transactions Journal of Mechanical Design from 1988 through 1992. He has authored over 300 journal articles and conference proceedings.  He is co-author, with G.L. Kinzel, of the text Kinematics, Dynamics and Design of Machinery, published by John Wiley and Sons (1998, 2003), and with S. M. Song, of the book Machines that Walk: The Adaptive Suspension Vehicle  published by M. I. T. Press (1988). He has edited three other books.

         Dr. Waldron is a Fellow of The American Society of Mechanical Engineers.  He is immediate Past Technical Leader of the ASME Systems and Design Group and Past President of IFToMM the International Federation for Promotion of Mechanism and Machine Science.  He received the ASME Leonardo da Vinci Award in March 1988, the Mechanisms Award in 1990, the Machine Design Award in 1994, the Ruth and Joel Spira Outstanding Design Educator Award in 2002, the Dedicated Service Award in 2004 and the Abbott Award in 2008.  He was a speaker in the ASME Distinguished Lecturers Program from 1996 to 1999.  He also received the Joseph F. Engelberger Award of the Robotic Industries Association in 1997.