Design and performance evaluation of an amphibious spherical robot

Li, Maoxun; Guo, Shuxiang; Hirata, Hideyuki; Ishihara, Hidenori

doi:10.1016/j.robot.2014.11.007

Cited by 85 publications

(30 citation statements)

References 20 publications

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“…Compared to the maximum velocity (8.5 cm/s) of the previous robot [37], the maximum velocity of TTWG was about twice higher. For the rotatory gait, the maximum rotatory velocity in previous robot [38] was up to 67°/s while the weight of the robot was only 2.1 KG. However, Now ASR-III's weight was up to 8.2 KG (about four times heavier than the previous robot), and the rotatory velocity was 44.5°/s (decline 33.6%).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hybrid Locomotion Evaluation for a Novel Amphibious Spherical Robot

et al. 2018

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Abstract:We describe the novel, multiply gaited, vectored water-jet, hybrid locomotion-capable, amphibious spherical robot III (termed ASR-III) featuring a wheel-legged, water-jet composite driving system incorporating a lifting and supporting wheel mechanism (LSWM) and mechanical legs with a water-jet thruster. The LSWM allows the ASR-III to support the body and slide flexibly on smooth (flat) terrain. The composite driving system facilitates two on-land locomotion modes (sliding and walking) and underwater locomotion mode with vectored thrusters, improving adaptability to the amphibious environment. Sliding locomotion improves the stability and maneuverability of ASR-III on smooth flat terrain, whereas walking locomotion allows ASR-III to conquer rough terrain. We used both forward and reverse kinematic models to evaluate the walking and sliding gait efficiency. The robot can also realize underwater locomotion with four vectored water-jet thrusters, and is capable of forward motion, heading angle control and depth control. We evaluated LSWM efficiency and the sliding velocities associated with varying extensions of the LSWM. To explore gait stability and mobility, we performed on-land experiments on smooth flat terrain to define the optimal stride length and frequency. We also evaluated the efficacy of waypoint tracking when the sliding gait was employed, using a closed-loop proportional-integral-derivative (PID) control mechanism. Moreover, experiments of forward locomotion, heading angle control and depth control were conducted to verify the underwater performance of ASR-III. Comparison of the previous robot and ASR-III demonstrated the ASR-III had better amphibious motion performance.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hybrid Locomotion Evaluation for a Novel Amphibious Spherical Robot

et al. 2018

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“…Comparing to 3R-SRs, similar steps should be taken in order to derive kinematics equation of 2R-SRs. The only distinction is that, in 2R-SRs, the robot is not capable of rotating about its vertical axis, i.e., it is assumed that 0    , therefore we can write: 11 12 x a R a R        , 21 22 31 32…”

Section: ) Triple-axis Rolling Spherical Robot (3r-sr)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In fact, while several researches have been done on 3D kinematics of other types of mobile robots such as legged [14] and wheeled robots [15,16], to the best of the authors' knowledge, the general problem of kinematics of SRs rolling on 3D terrains has not been investigated in the literature. The motivation to address this problem is that, while many applications of the SRs are on flat surfaces such as indoor [17], and paved roads [18], for a variety of applications such as agriculture [19], surveillance [20], environmental monitoring [21], and even planetary explorations [22], they would get exposed to uneven terrains.In this work, prior to deriving the kinematics of SRs on 3D terrains, a general method for modeling a geometrical sphere rolling over a mathematically known 3D surface is developed. Then, the derived equations are expanded in order to be applied to SRs considering their specifications.…”

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confidence: 99%

Kinematics of Spherical Robots Rolling over 3D Terrains

2019

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Although the kinematics and dynamics of spherical robots (SRs) on flat horizontal and inclined 2D surfaces are thoroughly investigated, their rolling behavior on generic 3D terrains has remained unexplored. This paper derives the kinematics equations of the most common SR configurations rolling over 3D surfaces.First, the kinematics equations for a geometrical sphere rolling over a 3D surface are derived along with the characterization of the modeling method. Next, a brief review of current mechanical configurations of SRs is presented as well as a novel classification for SRs based on their kinematics. Then, considering the mechanical constraints of each category, the kinematics equations for each group of SRs are derived.Afterwards, a path tracking method is utilized for a desired 3D trajectory. Finally, simulations are carried out to validate the developed models and the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme. climb obstacles, assuming the condition to be static. From a different view, rolling of SRs are studied where the desired path is assumed to be a straight line with constant slope or a single step obstacle [9-11] and a 2D curved path with variable-slope [12] respectively. In [13], authors have investigated dynamics of Martian tumbleweed rovers while this special type of SR rolls in its heading direction and the turning action is not considered for them. In fact, while several researches have been done on 3D kinematics of other types of mobile robots such as legged [14] and wheeled robots [15,16], to the best of the authors' knowledge, the general problem of kinematics of SRs rolling on 3D terrains has not been investigated in the literature. The motivation to address this problem is that, while many applications of the SRs are on flat surfaces such as indoor [17], and paved roads [18], for a variety of applications such as agriculture [19], surveillance [20], environmental monitoring [21], and even planetary explorations [22], they would get exposed to uneven terrains.In this work, prior to deriving the kinematics of SRs on 3D terrains, a general method for modeling a geometrical sphere rolling over a mathematically known 3D surface is developed. Then, the derived equations are expanded in order to be applied to SRs considering their specifications. Concretely, a variety of mechanisms are utilized in SRs to provide the required propelling torques and forces for their rolling action. Each configuration imposes its own kinematical constraints on the SRs' rolling motion. Therefore, to study the kinematics of SRs it is essential to classify current and feasible designs of SRs accordingly.There are a few SR classifications available in the literature. In a survey [6], SRs are classified based on their mechanical driving principles as: 1) Barycenter offset (BCO), 2) Conservation of angular momentum (COAM), and 3) Shell transformation (OST). In another review, SRs are classified based on their mechanical configurations [23], e.g., single wheel, hamster wheel, pendulum driven, gimbal mechanism, single ball...

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“…When in water, the robot moved using the drag-based swimming. The mechanism proposed by Li, et al [17], is not feasible for the proposed model since the spherical robot has two different mechanisms for locomotion. The swimming mechanism of the robot designed by Dhull, et al [18] Dudek, et al [19], and by Liang, et al [20] were somewhat similar compared to the robot developed in this paper.…”

Section: Literature Reviewmentioning

confidence: 99%

Design and Implementation of a Quadruped Amphibious Robot Using Duck Feet

Kashem¹,

Jawed²,

Ahmed³

et al. 2019

Preprint

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Roaming complexity in terrains and unexpected environments poses significant difficulties in robotic exploration of an area. In a broader sense, robots have to face two common tasks during exploration namely walking on the drylands and swimming through the water. This research aims to design and develop an amphibious robot, which incorporates webbed duck feet design to walk on different terrains, swim in water and tackle obstructions on its way. The designed robot is compact and easy-to-use and also has the abilities to work autonomously. Such a mechanism is implemented by designing a novel robotic webbed foot consisting of two hinged plates. Due to the design, the webbed feet are able to open and close with the help of water pressure. The Klann linkage has been used to convert rotational motion to walking and swimming as an animal's gait. Because of its amphibian nature, the designed robot can be used for exploring the tight caves, closed spaces and moving on uneven challenging terrains such as sand, mud or water.The presented model and design of the amphibious robot has been inspired by the working principle of duck feet. The propulsion generated through this feet system has been observed to be better and more controlled then the initial design and prototype of designed duck feet robot reported in [1]. The direction of movement can be managed, and the speed can be controlled using a larger contact area with water. Since duck is able to roam on both land and water, their feet movement during walking and swimming is adopted in designing the robot's four legs. Klann linkage is used to mimic such duck feet motion and the control mechanism of the feet is driven by DC motors and DC servo motors which are governed by an Arduino microcontroller. The robot is capable of sensing the presence of water through conductive sensors and detects obstacles using ultrasonic sensor while walking. Due to its amphibian nature and other features in movement, the robot is capable of traversing diversified terrains. It is envisaged that the proposed design will be appreciated in the industry to design amphibious robots in near future.

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Design and performance evaluation of an amphibious spherical robot

Cited by 85 publications

References 20 publications

Hybrid Locomotion Evaluation for a Novel Amphibious Spherical Robot

Hybrid Locomotion Evaluation for a Novel Amphibious Spherical Robot

Kinematics of Spherical Robots Rolling over 3D Terrains

Design and Implementation of a Quadruped Amphibious Robot Using Duck Feet

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