Abstract: The present invention pertains to a method for a quadruped robot to navigate through granular media, such as deep sand and for providing improvements in the walking performance over various types of granular media. In particular, the present invention proposes reducing the assumed coefficient of friction about the ground, impacting the ground harder than nominal in the vertical direction at touchdown, and forcing a toe lift off into swing if a knee joint extends beyond a threshold stance to help increase the robustness of a quadruped robot's locomotive abilities on challenging terrains and provide an improvement in the field of biomechanics and robotic navigation.

Abstract: A legged robot having a frame with a plurality of links in mechanical communication with plurality of brackets, the frame forming a front, back, top, bottom, and sides, legs in mechanical communication with one or more of the plurality of brackets, each leg having a knee motor, an abduction motor, and a hip motor, a computer module in mechanical communication with one or more of the plurality of brackets and in electrical communication with the legs, and a power module in mechanical communication with one or more of the plurality of brackets and in electrical communication with the legs and the computer module.