Search for initial conditions for sustained hopping of passive springy-leg offset-mass hopping robot

Abstract

A springy-leg, offset-mass or SLOM hopper configuration is considered here, wherein the center of gravity of the body is offset from the line of action of spring force. It is observed that this feature tends to extend the passive hopping motion. A heuristics-based search strategy and a genetic algorithm-based search strategy are implemented for finding the initial conditions that result in extended hopping motion.