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Simulation and robotics studies of salamander locomotion

Applying neurobiological principles to the control of locomotion in robots

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Abstract

This article presents a project that aims at understanding the neural circuitry controlling salamander locomotion, and developing an amphibious salamander-like robot capable of replicating its bimodal locomotion, namely swimming and terrestrial walking. The controllers of the robot are central pattern generator models inspired by the salamander’s locomotion control network. The goal of the project is twofold: (1) to use robots as tools for gaining a better understanding of locomotion control in vertebrates and (2) to develop new robot and control technologies for developing agile and adaptive outdoor robots. The article has four parts. We first describe the motivations behind the project. We then present neuromechanical simulation studies of locomotion control in salamanders. This is followed by a description of the current stage of the robotic developments. We conclude the article with a discussion on the usefulness of robots in neuroscience research with a special focus on locomotion control.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Lausanne (EPFL), Station 14, CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Auke Jan Ijspeert & Alessandro Crespi

  2. Inserm E 358, Institut Magendie, I rue C. St-Saëns, F-33077, Bordeaux, France

    Jean-Marie Cabelguen

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  1. Auke Jan Ijspeert
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  2. Alessandro Crespi
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  3. Jean-Marie Cabelguen
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Correspondence to Auke Jan Ijspeert.

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Ijspeert, A.J., Crespi, A. & Cabelguen, JM. Simulation and robotics studies of salamander locomotion. Neuroinform 3, 171–195 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1385/NI:3:3:171

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