Gait Study and Obstacle-Surmounting Performance Analysis of a Wheel-Leg Hybrid Robot

doi:10.12382/bgxb.2022.0823

Abstract

Abstract:

In order for ground mobile robots to fulfil the requirements of environmental exploration in complex terrain, considering the high speed characteristic of wheeled robots and the strong environmental adaptability of legged robots, a wheel-leg hybrid robot is proposed. To address the vibration problem in moving and the obstacle surmounting problem in ladder climbing, the gait study and performance analysis of the robot are carried out. The force conditions of the wheel-leg structure of the robot in different landing postures are obtained from the static analysis, and combined with the motion constraints in the actual situation, the robot gaits in the tasks of moving forward, turning and obstacle-surmounting are analyzed. Then, with the ADAMS simulation software, the dynamic model is established to simulate the robot vibration and obstacle-surmounting performance in different gaits. The results show that combined with the proposed gait control method, the wheel-leg hybrid robot has better traveling efficiency and obstacle surmounting ability in complex terrain environment.

Key words: wheel-leg hybrid robot, gait study, obstacle-surmounting performance, stability, dynamic analysis

CLC Number:

TP24

JIANG Yi, WANG Ting, SHAO Peiyao, XU Yao, SHAO Shiliang. Gait Study and Obstacle-Surmounting Performance Analysis of a Wheel-Leg Hybrid Robot[J]. Acta Armamentarii, 2023, 44(1): 247-259.

Figures/Tables 21

Fig.1 Four kinds wheel-leg hybrid robots

Fig.2 Overall structure diagram of a six-spoke wheel-leg robot

Fig.3 Structure diagram of the six-spoke wheel-leg

Table 1 Parameters of the six-spoke wheel-leg robot

参数	数值
长度/mm	696
宽度/mm	370
轴距/mm	350
轮距/mm	340
轮腿长度/mm	173
弹簧刚度系数/(N·m^-1)	2500
弹簧阻尼系数(N·s·m^-1)	800

Fig.4 Quadruped gait

Table 2 Gait characteristics of the robot

步态	轮腿关系
对角	对角线上轮腿相位一致,同轴轮腿有相位差
同侧	同侧轮腿相位一致,同轴轮腿有相位差
前后	同轴轮腿相位一致,同侧轮腿有相位差
滚动	四轮腿相位一致

Fig.5 Robot gaits

Fig.6 Force analysis of a single wheel-leg (lift: the model diagram of wheel-leg force, right: the balance diagram of wheel-leg force and moment)

Fig.7 Schematic diagram of the differential steering model of the robot

Fig.8 Force analysis of a single wheel-leg climbing steps

Fig.9 Analysis of obstacle-surmounting height of the wheel-leg

Fig.10 Robot stair climbing process under rolling gait

Fig.11 Robot centroid change curve of straight ahead under diagonal gait

Fig.12 Cuve of the robot’s centroid change under straight walking condition

Fig.13 Curve of the robot’s attitude change under straight walking condition

Fig.14 Simulation of the robot based on ADAMS software

Fig.15 Simulation of the robot climbing stairs

Fig.16 Curve of the robot’s centroid change when climbing stairs

Table 3 Stairs experiment results

台阶高度/mm	台阶宽度/mm	通过性
175	260	通过
175	300	通过
175	350	通过
150	260	通过
150	300	通过
150	350	通过
125	260	通过
125	300	通过
125	350	通过

Fig.17 Experiment of the robot in complex terrain

Fig.18 Experiment of the robot climbing stairs

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