This paper presents a novel underactuated tetrahedral mobile robot with 12 degrees-of-freedom (DOFs). The robot contains four vertices and six URU chains (where U represents a universal joint and R represents an actuated revolute joint). The tetrahedral structure makes the robot have continuous mobile ability at any posture. The mobility analysis has been made and demonstrates the feasibility of underactuated which demands fewer devices and low costs. A kind of rolling locomotion of the robot is proposed, and the feasibility of the locomotion is proved by the kinematic and locomotion analysis based on an equivalent planar mechanism. Finally, a prototype is manufactured and a series of experiments are performed to verify the mobile capability of the robot.
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August 2018
Technical Briefs
A Novel Underactuated Tetrahedral Mobile Robot
Zhirui Wang,
Zhirui Wang
School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering,
Beijing Jiaotong University,
No.3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District,
Beijing 100044, China
e-mail: 14116358@bjtu.edu.cn
Beijing Jiaotong University,
No.3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District,
Beijing 100044, China
e-mail: 14116358@bjtu.edu.cn
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Yaobin Tian,
Yaobin Tian
Department of Industrial Engineering and
Decision Analytics,
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology,
Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
e-mail: ybtian@ust.hk
Decision Analytics,
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology,
Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
e-mail: ybtian@ust.hk
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Yan-an Yao
Yan-an Yao
School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering,
Beijing Jiaotong University,
Beijing 100044, China
e-mail: yayao@bjtu.edu.cn
Beijing Jiaotong University,
No.3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District
,Beijing 100044, China
e-mail: yayao@bjtu.edu.cn
Search for other works by this author on:
Zhirui Wang
School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering,
Beijing Jiaotong University,
No.3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District,
Beijing 100044, China
e-mail: 14116358@bjtu.edu.cn
Beijing Jiaotong University,
No.3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District,
Beijing 100044, China
e-mail: 14116358@bjtu.edu.cn
Yaobin Tian
Department of Industrial Engineering and
Decision Analytics,
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology,
Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
e-mail: ybtian@ust.hk
Decision Analytics,
Hong Kong University of Science and Technology,
Clear Water Bay, Kowloon, Hong Kong
e-mail: ybtian@ust.hk
Yan-an Yao
School of Mechanical, Electronic and Control Engineering,
Beijing Jiaotong University,
Beijing 100044, China
e-mail: yayao@bjtu.edu.cn
Beijing Jiaotong University,
No.3 Shangyuancun, Haidian District
,Beijing 100044, China
e-mail: yayao@bjtu.edu.cn
1Corresponding author.
Contributed by the Mechanisms and Robotics Committee of ASME for publication in the JOURNAL OF MECHANISMS AND ROBOTICS. Manuscript received October 26, 2017; final manuscript received May 23, 2018; published online June 18, 2018. Assoc. Editor: Hai-Jun Su.
J. Mechanisms Robotics. Aug 2018, 10(4): 044506 (7 pages)
Published Online: June 18, 2018
Article history
Received:
October 26, 2017
Revised:
May 23, 2018
Citation
Wang, Z., Tian, Y., and Yao, Y. (June 18, 2018). "A Novel Underactuated Tetrahedral Mobile Robot." ASME. J. Mechanisms Robotics. August 2018; 10(4): 044506. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.4040438
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