Development and research of the model of a wheel-legged robot

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The development of robots capable of moving in both walking and wheeled modes and distinguishing with a simple design from the already developed robots is a relevant task for some recent years. In order for such a robot to have scientific and commercial success, it is necessary for it to be as structurally complex, smooth, reliable and inexpensive as its wheeled equivalent and, in addition, to be able to move stably and quickly over terrain that is impassable for wheeled robots. The robot dynamics is modeled with the Universal Mechanism and the MATLAB/Simulink software packages. The results of virtual tests of the robot in main motion modes (straight-line motion, turning, step climbing) are given in the paper.
 AIM: Increasing the mobility of a wheel-legged robot, equipped with the pseudo-walking propulsion system, using reasonable control laws.
 METHODS: In order to evaluate ride performance of the studied robot, methods of numerical simulation of its motion based on the multibody dynamics software packages are used.
 RESULTS: The maximal velocity of stable straight-line motion, the turning velocity and the height of the largest climbed step were obtained for the robot with given power of engines.
 CONCLUSION: The model of the new mobile robot equipped with the simple-designed propulsion system has been developed. This model demonstrated high cross-country abilities and other mobility indicators according to the results of virtual tests.