Locomotion

Stance Phase

The stance phase is the portion of a legged locomotion gait cycle during which a foot is in contact with the ground, supporting load and generating propulsive and stabilizing ground reaction forces. In human walking it spans roughly 60 percent of the cycle, and in robot gait design the stance-to-cycle ratio (duty factor) is a key parameter distinguishing walking from running gaits. Stance-leg control governs balance, force distribution, and odometry-relevant contact estimation.

Why it matters for physical AI

Everything a legged robot does to stay upright happens through stance feet; contact scheduling and stance force control are where locomotion policies succeed or fall over.