Control of Two-Degree-of-Freedom Inertial Appendages of a Small-Scale Jumping Robot for Enhanced Terrestrial and Aerial Maneuverability

Abstract

Small-scale jumping robots are promising for rugged terrain locomotion due to their strong ability to overcome obstacles. Appendages are widely adopted by them to improve maneuverability and thus better adapt to real-world applications. However, existing appendages of small-scale jumping robots have limited operational modes or control degrees of freedom (DOFs), constraining their functionality. Here, we present a maneuvering mechanism with two-DOF inertial appendages to improve the maneuverability of jumping robots. It allows the robot to function diversely in different phases by changing the operation behavior. The terrestrial maneuverability is endowed by advanced appendage–ground interactions. By smoothly driving the appendages to control two-DOF body attitude before triggering the jump, the robot allows the omnidirectional jumping trajectory modulation. By controlling the rhythmic disengagement and contact between the appendages and the flat substrate, the crawling locomotion mode is achieved. In the aerial maneuver, the robot redirects its angular momentum to stabilize its two-DOF body attitude through rapid appendage manipulation. Such multifunctional appendages provide a versatile solution for jumping robots to improve maneuverability.