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Impedance control is a commonly used approach for robots to interact with environments. At present, the impedance control is mostly implemented at the foot end, while the impedance control at the joint space offers faster response speed and is a more favorable option. However, due to the influence of installation position and moment arm of hydraulic drive unit (HDU), it is more complicated to establish the mapping relationship of equivalent stiffness and equivalent damping between the foot end and joint HDU. To address this challenge, this paper provides a general calculation expression of mapping matrices between the foot end and joint HDU, which also considers the influence of above nonlinear factors. Additionally, the accuracy of mapping matrices is verified through the impedance control, and the "finite difference method" (FDM) is used to enhance the accuracy of validation. Finally, the accuracy of mapping matrices is validated through the single leg of a 2-DOF series hydraulic robot. [Display omitted] • A novel mapping method of equivalent stiffness and equivalent damping between the foot end and joint hydraulic drive unit (HDU) is derived. • The mapping method considers the influence of installation position and moment arm of HDU. • Perfect and imperfect impedance are analyzed based on proposed mapping method. • The FDM can improve the verification accuracy under the large displacement of foot end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hydraulic power unit is the core energy source of hydraulic legged robots, ensuring the robot's maneuverability and carrying capacity in complex terrains. However, its pressure and flow output are usually set to a fixed level under all working conditions, which leads to mismatched pressure and flow requirements of hydraulic drive units. This mismatch reduces the stability and control accuracy of the hydraulic drive units and results in significant energy waste. To address these issues, this paper proposes an electro-hydraulic load-sensitive hydraulic power unit and a matching control strategy to better align outputs with requirements, thereby enhancing energy efficiency. Firstly, with the variable speed servo motor driving axial piston pump as the core, the closed system working principle of an electro-hydraulic load-sensitive hydraulic power unit is proposed, and the mathematical model of key components exhibiting strong nonlinearity and time-varying parameters is derived. After that, a matching control strategy based on flow feedforward and pressure difference compensation feedback is proposed. Finally, simulations and experiments are conducted to verify the feasibility of the unit and its matching control strategy. This paper provides a new solution for the design and control of hydraulic power units, laying the groundwork for achieving high-performance hydraulic systems. • A new configuration of HPU based on electro-hydraulic load-sensitive is proposed. • A matching control strategy for pressure and flow is established. • The matching between the ELHPU's output and the HDU's requirements is improved. • The energy utilization efficiency of the system is improved. • The work leads to the realization of high-performance hydraulic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]