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A novel soft-rigid wheeled crawling robot with high payload and passing capability

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 June 2022

Jiangming Jia ,
Peilin Cheng ,
Yuze Ye ,
Qizhi Xie  and
Chuanyu Wu Open the ORCID record for Chuanyu Wu [Opens in a new window]
Jiangming Jia
Affiliation:
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 310018Hangzhou, PR China
Peilin Cheng
Affiliation:
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 310018Hangzhou, PR China
Yuze Ye
Affiliation:
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 310018Hangzhou, PR China
Qizhi Xie
Affiliation:
School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Xuzhou University of Technology, 221018 Xuzhou, PR China
Chuanyu Wu*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, 310018Hangzhou, PR China
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

Soft crawling robots have been significantly studied in recent decades. However, moving in amphibious environment, high payload capability, and passing through complex ground have always been challenges for soft crawling robots. For these problems, this article presents an amphibious soft-rigid wheeled crawling robot (SRWCR) consists of a soft-rigid body actuated by two soft pneumatic actuators (SPAs), four wheels, and four annular soft bladders (ASBs) as brakes. By programming the actuation sequences of the two SPAs and four ASBs, SRWCR can achieve two basic modes of locomotion: linear motion and turning. Based on the energy conservation law, we have developed analytical models to interpret the static actuation performance of SPA, including linear and bending deformations. Furthermore, with the help of fast response and waterproof of SPA and ASB, SRWCR can achieve a linear speed of 14.97 mm/s, a turning speed of 5.63°/s, and an underwater locomotion speed of 13 mm/s, which demonstrates the excellent locomotion performance of SRWCR in amphibious environment. In addition, SRWCR can also achieve multiple impressive functions, including carrying a payload of 2 kg at the moving speed of 11.18 mm/s, passing through various complex ground such as the grass ground and sand ground, and so on, obstacle navigation in confined space. Compared with the existing soft crawling robots, with the help of the soft-rigid body and wheeled structure, SRWCR has the best payload and passing capability, which indicates the potential advantage of SRWCR in the design of functional robots.

Keywords

soft-rigid wheeled crawling robotamphibious environmentpayload capabilitypassing capability
Type
Research Article
Information
Robotica , Volume 40 , Issue 11 , November 2022 , pp. 3930 - 3951
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press

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