Motions and Gait Parameters

Available Motions

Defined in the Motion enum in engine.py. The following 18 are callable through the Python API.

Enum value	String name	Description
IDLE	idle / stop	Smoothly return to the neutral stance
FORWARD	forward	Move forward (tripod gait)
BACKWARD	backward	Move backward (tripod gait)
STRAFE_LEFT	strafe_left	Strafe left
STRAFE_RIGHT	strafe_right	Strafe right
ROTATE_LEFT	rotate_left	Turn in place, counter-clockwise (CCW)
ROTATE_RIGHT	rotate_right	Turn in place, clockwise (CW)
CREEP	creep	Low-speed creep gait, moving one leg at a time (most stable)
DANCE	dance	Sway the body — a dance
BODY_TILT	body_tilt / tilt	Tilt left/right (an “interested” pose)
PUSHUP	pushup / push_up	Raise and lower the body — a pushup
WAVE	wave / wave_right / wave_left	Greet with the front-right leg by default (wave_right); wave_left mirrors it on the front-left leg
WAVE_BOTH	wave_both	Greet with both front legs at once (first brings the middle legs forward and leans the body back with the nose raised into a “beg” pose, then waves both)
CLAP	clap	Stay in the beg pose and open/close both front legs (hands) on the yaw axis to clap (there’s a lower bound so the feet don’t touch)
BOW	bow	Raise the front legs and lower the chest and head in a bow (settle → hold → slowly rise, one-shot)
STRETCH	stretch	Keep the feet planted and fold every leg’s femur to raise the body in a stretch (settle → rise → hold → lower, one-shot)
NOD	nod	Nod “yes” (neck only, one-shot)
HEAD_SHAKE	head_shake / shake_head	Shake the head “no” (neck only, one-shot)

The key list for specifying a motion by string with set_motion(name) is defined in Palmimo._MOTION_MAP in robot.py.

For the methods that start each motion, see Core Methods in the API reference.

Gait Parameters

Defined in MotionEngine.__init__ in engine.py.

Parameter	Default	Unit	Description	Settable via
gait_speed	0.012	0-1	Phase increment per step (1 = one full cycle)	MotionEngine or Palmimo constructor
step_length	30.0	mm	Foot stride in the forward direction	MotionEngine or Palmimo constructor
step_height	30.0	mm	Foot lift height during swing (applies to walking and turning)	MotionEngine or Palmimo constructor
yaw_amplitude	250	tick	Max yaw-joint amplitude while walking (offset from center 2048)	MotionEngine constructor only — Palmimo does not forward it

From a Palmimo instance, reach the knobs it does not forward through the engine it owns: robot.engine.yaw_amplitude = 200.

Per-gesture tuning (wave, nod, head shake, dance) lives in the API reference.

Implementation Files

Path	Role
packages/palmimo_sdk/palmimo_sdk/engine.py	The walking engine itself (IK + gait generation, pure computation)
packages/palmimo_sdk/palmimo_sdk/robot.py	High-level Python API (Palmimo class, choreography playback)