Week5: BigDoggy

1)        If engineered or programmed badly, BigDog would fall over. Watch the full video again, and describe how BigDog’s legs move while walking– ie. what is the sequence of leg movements for one complete step? Use the terms BL, BR, FL, and FR for the back-left, back-right, front-left and front-right legs.

BigDog’s leg move alternativly. The FL and BR move in one step while the FR and FL move in the next step.


2)       Explain how this sequence of movements manages to balance BigDog’s body weight.

I think because of the alternative movement, the body weight is balanced on 2 legs each time. And while the weight is on the 2 legs, the other 2 legs will move in a position that will balance BigDog’s weight when the step is completed and BigDog’s weight will be balanced when it take the next step.


3)     Look at BigDog_kick_slow_motion.mov. Draw a storyboard of BigDog stabilising itself after being kicked.

Stage 1: Before kicked.
Stage 2: Being kicked, body tilts towards the kick.
Stage 3: FL takes a step towards the right and the body weight is over it. The FR then takes a huge step to the right, attempting to balance out. BL takes a step towards BR in order for BR to take a huge step in the next step. The entire body tilts heavily to the right.

Stage 4: FR doesn't move and FL steps closer to FR to anticipate next step. BR now takes a huge step to the right. The body is now about balanced.
Stage 5: FR now takes a huge step and the body is balanced. The entire body weight is dispersed in this step.
Stage 6: BigDog is now walking properly.