Experiments and simulations of wall running and transferring of a climbing robot

Abstract

This paper reports experimental and simulation results of a compact wall-climbing robot. The robot has been developed with the aim to detect or repair inspections and flaws on walls. First, the mechanical structure of the robot is summarized, and the remote and autonomous control system is also described. Next, we focus on running on walls and transferring between two different walls. The experimental results are compared to the simulation results based on the dynamical model of the robot. Two proposed methods for wall transferring are experimentally verified, and these experiments have good agreements with the simulations.I.

Grass Cutting Robot for Inclined Surfaces in Hilly and Mountainous Areas

“…Slips and falls are the primary problems encountered during robot locomotion on steep slopes. In previous research, several mechanisms to maintain the stability of a mobile robot have been proposed; these include the following: (1) maintaining posture by controlling the center of gravity of a multi-legged mobile robot [ 17 ], (2) pulling a volcano observation robot with a wire [ 18 ], (3) slope movement using a snake-like robot [ 19 ], (4) traversing a slope with caterpillars or special wheels [ 14 , 20 , 21 ], and (5) maintaining posture on a slope by pushing with air [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. In method (1), the robot must be equipped with numerous actuators to create a robot with legs, and these actuators are not only heavy but also need to be controlled in a complicated manner.…”

“…The phenomenon of wheel slip occurs when the grip between the wheel and surface is reduced during sharp turns or on slippery road surfaces. Although propeller thrust can be used, previous studies have not analyzed the effects of rotational motion on the design [ 22 , 23 , 24 ]. The robot may slip if the thrust force is weak.…”