Force control for legged robots

New results on the development of two adaptive six-legged vehicle-rectangular and hexagonal - and their control systems are presented. The major part of the paper considers force control for step adaptation and control of body motion based on the information about the main force vector acting on the vehicle. A force control system for step cycle adaptation to different ground clearance for each leg was developed. For the distribution of food-forces, leg sinkage during soft soil locomotion there were developed algorithms based on the force control compliance. For the control of moving body we developed the algorithms based on the information about the main force and torque vectors acting on the vehicle body. Algorithms for inserting and drilling operations based on the force control were experimentally tested.