Choosing the Optimal Contact Force Distribution for Multi-Limbed Mobile Robots With Three Feet Contact

One of the inherent problems of multi-limbed mobile robotic systems is the problem of multi-contact force distribution; the contact forces and moments at the feet required to support it and those required by its tasks are indeterminate. A new strategy for choosing an optimal solution for the contact force distribution of multi-limbed robots with three feet in contact with the environment in three-dimensional space is presented. The optimal solution is found using a two-step approach: first finding the description of the entire solution space for the contact force distribution for a statically stable stance under friction constraints, and then choosing an optimal solution in this solution space which maximizes the objectives given by the chosen optimization criteria. An incremental strategy of opening up the friction cones is developed to produce the optimal solution which is defined as the one whose foot contact force vector is closest to the surface normal vector for robustness against slipping. The procedure is aided by using the “force space graph” which indicates where this solution is positioned in the solution space to give insight into the quality of the chosen solution and to provide robustness against disturbances. The “margin against slip with contact point priority” approach is also presented which finds an optimal solution with different priorities given to each foot contact point for the case when one foot is more critical than the other. Examples are presented to illustrate certain aspects of the method and ideas for other optimization criteria are discussed.