Abstract
A mobile robot named TO-ROVER III which can go up and down stairs has been developed. The driving unit mechanism is constructed by a star-like arm, 6 wheels attached at each arm tip, and planetary gears through which a motor drives the arm or wheels. TO-ROVER III has two driving units and a caster with similar mechanism of no planetary gears and no motor. The features of TO-ROVER III are (1) it has only two degrees of freedom, the same as an ordinary wheel type mobile robot, (2) the mode of running on the flat ground and the mode of going up and down stairs are automatically changed, (3) any control is not necessary for a mode change and stair climbing, (4) it can also go up and down helicoidal stairs, (5) motor torque and force for climbing up stairs is smaller than the ordinary wheel type mobile robot, (6) stair climbing motion is quite stable. Kinematics and dynamics of TO-ROVER III have been analyzed, and the experiments show smooth motion in running, turning and climbing up and down stairs.
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