While a biped walking mobile body is in a motion, such as level-ground
walking, the position of the center of gravity (G0) of the biped walking
mobile body, the position of an ankle joint (12) of each leg (2), and the
position of a metatarsophalangeal joint (13a) of a foot (13) are
successively grasped. The horizontal position of any one of the center of
gravity (G0), the ankle joint (12), and the metatarsophalangeal joint
(13a) is estimated as the horizontal position of a floor reaction force
acting point on the basis of the combination of the contact or no contact
with the ground at a spot directly below the metatarsophalangeal joint
13a of the foot 13 and a spot directly below the ankle joint 12, which is
detected by ground contact sensors 51f and 51r, respectively, provided on
the sole of the foot 13. The vertical position of the floor reaction
force acting point is estimated on the basis of the vertical distance
from the ankle joint (12) to a ground contact surface.