A walking and wheeled hybrid locomotion with twin-frame structure robot

摘要

At present, robots are demanded not only for stationary use but also for tasks that require high mobility. The important abilities for such robots are both moving and task performing abilities. However, in order to perform tasks and move using separate mechanisms, robots are required to have many degrees of freedom (DOF). As a result, robots become heavy and lose mobility. If robots can perform both wheeled locomotion on flat ground and legged locomotion on uneven terrain, the robot can express much higher mobility. However, ordinary design leads the robot with much DOF and much weight because ordinary designed robot should have two of both mechanisms, leg and wheel for each locomotion and that makes the robot lose its higher mobility. We already proposed one of the effective designing methods with both mobility and manipulability, that is the method of combining each mechanism. Designed robot use the same mechanism for locomotion and manipulation. As applying this concept to the locomotion, it is possible to use the same mechanism for the legged locomotion and wheeled locomotion. In this paper this concept and maneuvers for locomotion are described and experimental model and experiment result is expressed.