Robot locomotion covers walking, running, rolling, flying, swimming and other forms of movement. The robot must coordinate actuators while using sensor feedback to maintain stability, follow a path and respond to changing surfaces or obstacles.
Locomotion performance depends on mechanical design, control frequency, power, balance and motion planning. Speed is only one measure: efficiency, recoverability, terrain handling and safe interaction are also important when judging whether a system is useful outside a demonstration.
Acronyms and aliases
robot movement synonymrobotic locomotion synonym
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
How does a walking robot stay upright?
It combines sensor measurements with fast control updates that adjust joint forces and foot placement to keep its center of mass within a recoverable region.
Why is robot locomotion difficult?
Real surfaces, impacts, delayed sensor data, actuator limits and unexpected disturbances require movement plans to be corrected continuously and safely.
