Design of a high-impact survivable robot

This paper presents the design, construction, and testing of a two-wheeled low-cost mobile robot platform that has high survivability when subjected to large impact forces and general rough handling. The design of the drive transmission system and integrated suspension system is developed, along with general equations of motion describing their dynamics. Analyses were conducted to insure stability of the various subsystems and optimize parameters for the desired vibration characteristics. Equations of motion were also developed to describe the rocking chassis phenomenon inherent to the two-wheeled design. A flywheel compensation scheme which helps eliminate the rocking chassis problem is also outlined. An impact analysis combining theory and empirical data was used to predict the survivability threshold. Finally, three series of experiments were conducted, with the first two followed by design improvements. In contrast to currently available commercial robots, our new design employs a flexible mechanical platform capable of absorbing energy during high load impacts. This design was substantiated during the final tests when the robot survived a third story drop without any damage. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.