title: Study of human walking patterns based on the parameter optimization of a passive dynamic walking robot.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The study of human walking patterns mainly focuses on how control affects walking because control schemes are considered to be dominant in human walking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study proposes that not only fine control schemes but also optimized body segment parameters are responsible for humans' low-energy walking.
  
  
  METHODS
  A passive dynamic walker provides the possibility of analyzing the effect of parameters on walking efficiency because of its ability to walk without any control. Thus, a passive dynamic walking model with a relatively human-like structure was built, and a parameter optimization process based on the gait sensitivity norm was implemented to determine the optimal mechanical parameters by numerical simulation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results were close to human body parameters, thus indicating that humans can walk under a passive pattern based on their body segment parameters. A quasi-passive walking prototype was built on the basis of the optimization results. Experiments showed that a passive robot with optimized parameters could walk on level ground with only a simple hip actuation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result implies that humans can walk under a passive pattern based on their body segment parameters with only simple control strategy implying that humans can opt to walk instinctively under a passive pattern.
authors.forename: Xizhe
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zang
authors.forename: Xinyu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Yanhe
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhao
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005684:Gait; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D012371:Robotics; D016138:Walking
keywords: Human walking; energy consumption; parameters optimization; passive dynamic walking