Multimode locomotion via SuperBot robots

作者：Weimin Shen, Maks Krivokon, Harris Chi Ho Chiu, Jacob Everist, Michael Rubenstein, Jagannathan Venkatesh · 年份：2006 · DOI：10.1109/robot.2006.1642086 · 被引用次数：50 · 研究领域：Modular Robots and Swarm Intelligence、Robotic Locomotion and Control、Micro and Nano Robotics

This paper presents a modular and reconfigurable robot for multiple locomotion modes based on reconfigurable modules. Each mode consists of characteristics for the environment type, speed, turning-ability, energy-efficiency, and recover ability from failures. The paper demonstrates this solution by the Superbot robot that combines advantages from MTRAN, CONRO and others. Experimental results, both in real robots and in simulation, have shown the validity of the approach and demonstrated the movements of forward, backward, turn, sidewinder, maneuver, and travel on batteries up to 500 meters on a flat terrain. In physics-based simulation, Superbot can perform as snake, caterpillar, insect, spider, rolling track, H-walker, etc., and move 1.0 meter/second on flat terrain with less than 6 W/module, and climb slopes of no less 40 degrees