Eccentric Wheelbase Shift for Stable Obstacle-Climbing Robots
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Solution Overview
Problem
Robots, particularly spherical ones, face the challenge of being overturned when attempting to climb obstacles due to their morphological characteristics, which disrupts their ability to provide services to users and requires manual intervention to regain stability.
Innovation Solution
The robot is equipped with a body portion, first and second wheels, a first driver to rotate the wheels around a first axis, a second driver to eccentrically rotate the wheels around a second axis, and a processor to control these components, allowing the robot to identify obstacles and adjust wheel positioning to increase the wheel base, thereby enhancing stability during obstacle climbing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a spherical robot climbs an obstacle using conventional wheel rotation, then the robot can move forward, but the robot may overturn in the opposite direction due to its morphological characteristics
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic wheel positioning where the wheels can shift between a first position (for normal movement) and a second position (for obstacle climbing). The controller dynamically adjusts wheel position based on terrain detection, allowing the robot to adapt its morphology to maintain stability while moving at different speeds on different surfaces
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an additional degree of freedom by enabling wheels to move not only rotate but also shift position radially. This dimensional change allows the robot to increase its wheel base during obstacle climbing, creating a more stable configuration that prevents overturning while maintaining forward progress
2Stability of the object's composition
If the robot increases the wheel base to prevent overturning, then the robot stability improves, but the device complexity increases due to additional wheel positioning mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the wheel rotation function and wheel positioning function into an integrated system. The same motor assembly performs both rotational movement for propulsion and radial positioning for stability adjustment, eliminating the need for separate positioning mechanisms and reducing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The wheel assembly is designed as a multi-functional component that can both rotate to propel the robot and shift position to adjust the wheel base. This universal design allows a single mechanism to serve multiple purposes: normal movement, obstacle detection, stability adjustment, and obstacle climbing assistance
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration enables the robot to climb obstacles without overturning, maintaining stability and ensuring continuous service provision by increasing the wheel base through eccentric rotation of the wheels, reducing the likelihood of tipping over.
Implementation Method 1
a second driver configured to eccentrically rotate the first wheel and the second wheel with respect to a second rotation axis
Data Source
AI summary
A robot includes: a body portion; at least one sensor provided in the body portion; a first wheel and a second wheel provided on opposite sides of the body portion and configured to rotate; a first driver configured to rotate the first wheel and the second wheel with respect to a first rotation axis; a second driver configured to eccentrically rotate the first wheel and the second wheel with respect to a second rotation axis; and at least one processor configured to: control the first driver and the second driver to cause the robot to move along a route by rotating the first wheel and the second wheel, identify, based on sensing data obtained through the at least one sensor, an obstacle for climbing on the route, and based on identifying the obstacle, control the second driver to eccentrically rotate the first wheel and the second wheel with respect to the second rotation axis, and to shift the first wheel and the second wheel in a direction from a first position to a second position to increase a size of a wheel base of the robot.