ABSTRACT
The synthesis of the motion of humanoid robots requires realization of a human-like gait. There are several possible approaches, depending on the type of locomotion activity involved. A human-like or humanoid robot that works with humans as a partner in the living environment needs to share the same workspace and possess the common thinking and behavioral modes of humans. An anthropomorphic form of robot is usually expected when the robot is intended for personal use. The future service robots will work in the environment of humans, which imposes the requirement for human-like behavior in the area of motion, intelligence, and communication. The ZMP concept provides a useful dynamic criterion for the analysis and synthesis of human/humanoid robot locomotion. The ZMP indicates gait balance during the entire gait cycle and provides a quantitative measure for the unbalanced moment about the support foot and for the robustness of the dynamic gait equilibrium.
