motion (b). The body propelled and rear wheel
approaches the step (c). The rear wheel is moved from
the rear side to the front side through the air by rear leg
motion (d). The rear wheel returns to the rear side (e).
Lift up of the wheel must be done without loosing balance.
This mode is used only when the robot moves by other
locomotion mode and encounters an impassable obstacle.
5. Implementation
The locomotion algorithm was implemented to the
robot. Ordinarily, wheel mode and hybrid mode are
used for locomotion. These two modes are switched by
an operator using a button on the command controller.
The operator control the robot motion by using two
joysticks. One is for moving speed, and the other is for
moving direction. During the wheel mode, the altitude
of the ground is always measured by the ultrasonic range
sensor. When a large step is found, locomotion mode is
switched to the step mode automatically. In the step
mode, the robot decide the leg and wheel motion
autonomously according to the measured step height.
After the robot climbs or descend the step, locomotion
mode returns to the wheel mode. Photographs in Fig.8
show the robot motion in the step mode. When a rear
leg is lifted up, front foot position is changed to the body
side to maintain the stability.这篇论文描述了轮足复合式移动机器人的机理和控制。用腿移动的移动对不平地形有很高的适应性,并且轮式的移动拥有速度和效率。我们推荐了联合腿和轮子的一种新的移动机构并且介绍了一个使用这一机理的原型移动机器人。这个机器人有四条腿,每条腿的终点连接着一个轮子。前面的腿有三个关节和一个被动的轮子。后面的腿有一个关节和一个活动的轮子。为了充分利用这个机理,我们研制了三种移动模式即轮子模式,复合模式和步进模式。在轮子模式中,四个轮子用在了平坦地形上。复合模式用在不平地形上,两条腿和两个活动的轮子用于移动。为了上下一个大的台阶,步进模式启用了。