Krispin Davies

Jie Wang, Krispin Davies

Hybrid track/wheel-legged robots combine the advantages of wheel-based and leg-based locomotion, granting adaptability across varied terrains through efficient transitions between rolling and walking modes. However, automating these transitions remains a significant challenge. In this paper, we introduce a method designed for autonomous mode transition in a quadruped hybrid robot with a track/wheel-legged configuration, especially during step negotiation. Our approach hinges on a decision-making mechanism that evaluates the energy efficiency of both locomotion modes using a proposed energy-based criterion. To guarantee a smooth negotiation of steps, we incorporate two climbing gaits designated for the assessment of energy usage in walking locomotion. Simulation results validate the method's effectiveness, showing successful autonomous transitions across steps of diverse heights. Our suggested approach has universal applicability and can be modified to suit other hybrid robots of similar mechanical configuration, provided their locomotion energy performance is studied beforehand.

Krispin Davies, Alejandro Ramirez-Serrano

The use of robotics in Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) is growing steadily from their initial inception during the 2001 World Trade Centre incident. Despite years of progress, the core design of robots currently in use for USAR purposes has deviated little, favoring software and control development and optimization of the basic robot template to improve performance instead. Presented here is a novel design description of the Cricket, an advanced robot with a broader range of physical capabilities than traditional USAR robots. By incorporating the tracked structure of earlier robots, appreciated for energy efficiency and robustness, into a multi-limbed walking design, the Cricket enables the use of advanced locomotion techniques. The ability to climb over obstacles many times the height of the robot, ascend vertical shafts without the assistance of a tether, and traverse rough and near vertical terrain improves the Cricket's capability to successfully locate victims in confined spaces.