Design of spiking central pattern generators for multiple locomotion gaits in hexapod robots by christiansen grammar evolution

Andres Espinal, Horacio Rostro-Gonzalez, Martin Carpio, Erick I. Guerra-Hernandez, Manuel Ornelas-Rodriguez, Marco Sotelo-Figueroa

Research output: Indexed journal article Articlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

This paper presents a method to design Spiking Central Pattern Generators (SCPGs) to achieve locomotion at different frequencies on legged robots. It is validated through embedding its designs into a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) and implemented on a real hexapod robot. The SCPGs are automatically designed by means of a Christiansen Grammar Evolution (CGE)-based methodology. The CGE performs a solution for the configuration (synaptic weights and connections) for each neuron in the SCPG. This is carried out through the indirect representation of candidate solutions that evolve to replicate a specific spike train according to a locomotion pattern (gait) by measuring the similarity between the spike trains and the SPIKE distance to lead the search to a correct configuration. By using this evolutionary approach, several SCPG design specifications can be explicitly added into the SPIKE distance-based fitness function, such as looking for Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) with minimal connectivity or a Central Pattern Generator (CPG) able to generate different locomotion gaits only by changing the initial input stimuli. The SCPG designs have been successfully implemented on a Spartan 6 FPGA board and a real time validation on a 12 Degrees Of Freedom (DOFs) hexapod robot is presented.

Original languageEnglish
Article number00006
Number of pages13
JournalFrontiers in Neurorobotics
Volume10
Issue numberJUL
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2016
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Central pattern generator
  • Christiansen grammar evolution
  • Evolution strategy
  • FPGA
  • Legged robot locomotion
  • Spike-distance
  • Spiking neural network

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Design of spiking central pattern generators for multiple locomotion gaits in hexapod robots by christiansen grammar evolution'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this