Spiking neural state machine for gait frequency entrainment in a flexible modular robot

PLoS One. 2020 Oct 21;15(10):e0240267. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0240267. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

We propose a modular architecture for neuromorphic closed-loop control based on bistable relaxation oscillator modules consisting of three spiking neurons each. Like its biological prototypes, this basic component is robust to parameter variation but can be modulated by external inputs. By combining these modules, we can construct a neural state machine capable of generating the cyclic or repetitive behaviors necessary for legged locomotion. A concrete case study for the approach is provided by a modular robot constructed from flexible plastic volumetric pixels, in which we produce a forward crawling gait entrained to the natural frequency of the robot by a minimal system of twelve neurons organized into four modules.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Algorithms
  • Animals
  • Gait / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Locomotion / physiology
  • Models, Neurological
  • Neural Networks, Computer*
  • Neurons / cytology
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Robotics*
  • Walking / physiology

Grants and funding

This research was supported by a grant made to the Braingeneers research group by Schmidt Family Futures. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.