# Walking Equation Help

1. Apr 7, 2005

### Kura_kai

I am new here and i am a java programer and i needed a physics equation. I need to get an equation that can allow a robot to calculate how to get from point a to b the best way. I have been thinking of something like that but keep drawing blanks. Any help

2. Apr 7, 2005

### Davorak

You are not giving use much to go on. Is it a straight line? does the robot have a map or does it need to observe it surroundings?

Graph theory has many common algorithms to determine the lowest cost path. Is this what you are looking for?

3. Apr 8, 2005

### Kura_kai

It is going in a straigh path the distance is going to be like 50 feet or something.

4. Apr 8, 2005

### ZapperZ

Staff Emeritus
.. and the simple equation of a straight line like y = mx + b just doesn't cut it?

Zz.

5. Apr 8, 2005

### Gokul43201

Staff Emeritus
If the co-ordinates of the 2 points are A(x1,y1) and B(x2,y2), the equation of the line passing between them is :

$$y - y_1 = \frac {y_1 - y_2}{x_1 - x_2} ~ \cdot ~ x - x_1$$

6. Apr 8, 2005

### Davorak

Please tell me there is something more too it then this, there are bumps on the ground, there is a hill in the way, or some sort of obstacles. It is not flat ground for 50 feet is it?

7. Apr 8, 2005

### dextercioby

Another question:is this a geodesic or a brahistochrone problem...?

Daniel.

8. Apr 8, 2005

### ZapperZ

Staff Emeritus
I vote for the speed bump....

Zz.

9. Apr 14, 2005

### Kura_kai

It is a straight path for 50 feet. The equation is meant to find figure out how big the steps have to be so it doesn't fall forward or something other than that there is not going to be a sudden unexcpected force accting on the robot.

10. Apr 14, 2005

### ramollari

That's too ambitious kura_kai to be handled by a simple Java program. There are two things you can consider to drastically improve you robot design: 1. use the reactive agent architecture instead of symbolic reasoning (or at least hybrid), 2. Incorporate some form of learning to your robot, so that the latter itself decides which are the most optimal movements and step sizes. Sth like reinforcement learning.
Good luck!

11. Apr 14, 2005

### ramollari

Last edited by a moderator: Apr 21, 2017