Design and Analysis of a Flipping Controller for RHex

: We report on the design and analysis of a controller that can achieve dynamical self-righting of our hexapedal robot, RHex. We present an empirically tuned controller that works reasonably well on indoor surfaces, using a hybrid energy pumping strategy to overcome torque limitations of its actuators. Subsequent modeling and analysis yields a new controller with a much wider domain of success as well as a preliminary understanding of the hybrid control strategy. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of the improved control strategy relative to the first generation empirically designed controller.