Abstract
This study focuses on the features of transport (locomotion) systems of mobile mini-robots (MMR), i.e., small unmanned ground vehicles of a portable type measuring several tens of centimeters and weighing no more than 15 kg. A distinctive feature of the considered MMR is the possibility of its both structural reconfiguration (i.e., the ability to function in two options—tracked and wheeled) and geometric reconfiguration in the tracked option (i.e., chassis geometry variation). Thus, the transport system of such a mobile robot is divided into two components: a locomotion subsystem and a chassis geometry variation subsystem. The article examines the factors that are necessary for the correct mathematical description of such a small-sized and relatively high-speed transport system. A method for constructing a computer model of the transport system as an electromechanical device only is proposed. Such a computer model of the MMR transport system is developed for two types of chassis configurations: tracked and wheeled. The experimental studies performed and the comparison of the experimental and simulated data obtained showed their close convergence, within 5 to 7%. Thus, it is shown that the revealed features of the MMR transport systems along with the proposed method for their computer model development considering these features make it possible to increase the accuracy and adequacy of the MMR motion simulation in comparison with previously known approaches used in the computation of larger vehicles. The results obtained make it possible to consider the proposed computer model of the transport system as an electromechanical component of the complete model of a mobile robot.
Highlights
The field of application of mobile robotics is very wide, e.g., industry and agriculture, scientific research, service, entertainment, military tasks, security, and emergency response.Mobile robots are designed to deliver technological equipment to the working area in order to perform functional tasks at a distance from the human, whose presence in the working area is undesirable or impossible
An evaluation of the convergences of the experimental data and the simulated data obtained using the proposed model and the simplified models showed that the proposed approaches to the computer models development can increase the accuracy of simulations by 10 to 25% at maximum loading modes, and up to 30 to 70% at low and medium loading modes
This article considers the results of simulation of a particular case of the mobile mini-robots (MMR) transport system locomotion, namely, locomotion on surfaces with different angles of inclination
Summary
Mobile robots are designed to deliver technological equipment to the working area in order to perform functional tasks at a distance from the human, whose presence in the working area is undesirable or impossible. Functional subsystem (i.e., manipulators, technological equipment, and tools); Transport subsystem (i.e., a subsystem that is necessary for transportation of the functional subsystem and of other cargo during robot locomotion in conditions of uncertainties in the external environment). The miniaturization of all components of robotic systems has led to the emergence of a new class of mobile robots—compact and lightweight mobile mini-robots (MMR). MMRs are small-sized rapid response robotic vehicles that can be quickly transported and deployed by one person (i.e., an operator). Compact size and low weight allow this type of mobile robot to be classified as portable robotic systems, which fundamentally
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