Body Mechanism with Linear Spikes for Slippage Reduction of Four-Limbed Robot Crawling on Uneven Terrain

摘要

In this paper, we propose a body mechanism for a legged robot to reduce slippage when moving on an uneven terrain. In the proposed landing mechanism, linear spikes are distributed on the grounding, and they move passively with respect to the road surface shape. This mechanism is aimed to improve the grip performance on an irregular road surface and the movement capability. The developed mechanism is mounted on the body of a four-limbed robot named "WAREC-1." The robot performs crawling motion over an inclined rough terrain. The crawling includes a motion wherein its legs and torso alternately contact the ground. The experimental results show that the downward sliding of the robot is reduced and that the mechanism contributes to improving the grip performance and movement capability on uneven terrain.