Abstract
The design of a novel crawler mechanism with polymorphic locomotion is presented in this paper. The proposed mechanism, which is equipped with a planetary gear reducer, provides two kinds of outputs in different form only using one actuator. By determining the reduction ratio of two outputs in a suitable proportion, the crawler mechanism is capable of switching between two locomotion modes autonomously according to terrain. Using this property, robots equipped with the crawler mechanism can perform more efficient and adaptable locomotion or posture in irregular environments. Experimental tests showed that the developed crawler-driven module equipped with the proposed crawler mechanism cannot only move on moderately rugged terrain, but also perform a particular locomotion mode to negotiate high obstacles or adapt to different terrains without any sensors for distinguishing obstacles or any extra actuators or mechanisms for assistance.
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