Design and research of deformable wheel-legged robot based on origami mechanisms

Abstract

This study presents a novel deformable wheeled robot based on an origami mechanism, designed to address the limited environmental adaptability of traditional wheeled robots. The research begins by rigorously establishing the fundamental parameters of the origami unit through an in-depth analysis of the Miura origami motion principle and a comprehensive study of the correlation between geometric parameters. Leveraging the theory of origami thickening, the origami unit is thickened and integrated into the design of the deformable Wheel-Legged mechanism. Controlled by a single motor, four Wheel-Legged structures enable seamless transformation between wheeled and legged forms. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the robot’s deformation, obstacle crossing, and other motion processes. Furthermore, it thoroughly investigates the effects of various gaits on the stability of the robot’s movement, followed by rigorous simulation and experimental verification. The experimental results unequivocally demonstrate the robot’s capability in deformation, steering, and obstacle avoidance.