Multimode Locomotion via SuperBot Robots

– This paper presents a modular and reconfigurable robot for multiple locomotion modes based on reconfigurable modules. Each mode consists of characteristics for the environment type, speed, turning-ability, energy-efficiency, and recoverability from failures. The paper demonstrates this solution by the Superbot robot that combines advantages from MTRAN, CONRO and others. Experimental results, both in real robots and in simulation, have shown the validity of the approach and demonstrated the movements of forward, backward, turn, sidewinder, maneuver, and travel on batteries up to 500 meters on a flat terrain. In physics-based simulation, Superbot can perform as snake, caterpillar, insect, spider, rolling track, H

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2006
• Where: ICRA
• Authors: Wei-Min Shen, Maks Krivokon, Harris Chiu, Jacob Everist, Michael Rubenstein, Jagadesh Venkatesh
• Keywords: ICRA 2006, Multiple Locomotion Modes, Reconfigurable Robot, Robotics, Robots