Design of a double-tracked wall climbing robot based on electrostatic adhesion mechanism

Abstract

A double-tracked wall climbing robot based on electrostatic adhesion mechanism is proposed in this paper. First, the principle of the electrostatic adhesion and a calculation method of the adhesion force are presented. Then, an electrode panel is designed to evaluate the feasibility of the electrostatic adhesion mechanism applied to wall climbing robot. Finally, the mechanical structure design and control system design of the robot prototype are described in detail. Experiments of the climbing performances of the robot on different wall surfaces are carried out, including the straight line movement and turning movement. The results show that the robot can achieve forward and backward movements along a straight line successfully. However, the robot can only achieve turning movement on the glass surface with a slope angle of approximately o 30 at present. Dramatic decrease of the dynamic adhesion force when the electrode panels on the robot side slip against the wall may be the main reason. The theoretical analysis and experimental results in this study will provide a strong support for the optimal design of wall climbing robots based on electrostatic adhesion mechanism in the future.

A gecko-inspired wall-climbing robot based on vibration suction mechanism

“…The variation curve of internal pressure, which is in the form of a sinusoid, is instructive for the design of vibration suction module. Equation (11) shows that, when two sinusoids with a phase difference of π but the same amplitude and period superimpose together, the fluctuations of them will cancel each other out.…”

“…Recently, the van der Waals force 8,9,10 inspired by geckos has become a research hotspot, but it is usually used in high quality conditions since it demands high degrees of surface finish and cleanness. Electrostatic adhesion method 11,12 requires relatively low conditions for wall surface, which can be used on various wall surfaces. However, the adhesion force of this method is quite weak.…”

Sigma-3: Integration and Analysis of a 6 DOF Robotic Arm Configuration in a Rescue Robot

“…On the other hand, walking robots have good command over the rugged terrain, but it carries complex structures which makes the control difficult. In that sense, the double-track mechanism has good mobility under rough ground conditions [6]. Moreover, the execution of the arm on the rescue robot depends on its speed, payload weight, and accuracy.…”