A team at the University of Michigan has been researching the biomechanics of “pronking,” a leaping gait employed by quadrupeds, including deer and gazelles, as a potential model for more robust and agile robotic locomotion. The work, initially explored in a 2015 paper, focuses on achieving stable pronking in robots using a “templates and anchors” control framework.
Pronking, also known as stotting, involves synchronous leverage of all legs, resulting in relatively slow speeds but significant jumping heights. Researchers at Michigan’s BIRDS lab, led by M. Mert Ankarali and Uluc Saranli, have been investigating the dynamic gait, aiming to improve the stability of robotic systems performing the maneuver. The initial research suggested the Spring-Loaded Inverted Pendulum (SLIP) model could provide a basis for a more robust feedback controller.
Recent advancements, detailed in a paper submitted to arXiv in April 2025 by Jiatao Ding and colleagues, build upon this foundation. The researchers propose a reduced-order template model – a dual-legged actuated spring-loaded inverted pendulum with trunk rotation – to explicitly model parallel compliance. This decoupling of spring effects from active motor actuation aims to enhance the control task for quadrupedal robots.
The team’s approach utilizes a dual-layer trajectory optimization, incorporating a singularity-free body rotation representation to generate versatile acrobatic motions, including pronking, froggy jumping, and hop-turns. Integrating this with a linear singularity-free tracking controller, they’ve achieved enhanced quadrupedal locomotion. Experiments with both rigid and newly designed compliant quadrupeds demonstrate the template model’s ability to generate dynamic motion and the benefits of parallel elasticity for explosive movement.
Further research, published by the IEEE in 2026, focuses on increasing the robustness of quadrupedal periodic forward jumping – pronking – by unifying model-based trajectory optimization and iterative learning control. This work utilizes a reduced-order soft anchor model to generate periodic motions, addressing the challenges posed by unmodelled dynamic effects in real-world scenarios.
The Economist noted on February 19, 2026, that human equivalents of pronking are important in workplace dynamics, citing examples such as managers expressing gratitude to team members. Whereas seemingly disparate, the article suggests a parallel between the complex, coordinated movements of pronking and the nuanced interactions within human organizations.
Optimization history plots for pronking, spanning 30 minutes, have been documented as part of the research, illustrating the iterative process of refining robotic gait control. The IEEE continues to support research into quadrupedal locomotion, recognizing its potential for advancing technology for the benefit of humanity.
