Single-Track Legged Vehicle Dynamic Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing legged vehicles are bulky, cumbersome, and slower than wheeled vehicles, limiting their usefulness on rough terrain, and lack effective stabilization methods to prevent overturning, especially when carrying riders or passengers.
Innovation Solution
A single-track legged vehicle design with three legs aligned in-line, each having multiple degrees of freedom, allowing optimal foot placement and dynamic stabilization through a control system that decouples leg positioning along the major axis from the width, enabling robust balance and mobility on uneven terrain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional multi-legged vehicles are used for rough terrain, then stability and terrain adaptability are improved, but vehicle size becomes bulky and speed decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle body is segmented into multiple independent modules that can be selectively deployed. Only the necessary number of legs are extended based on terrain conditions, reducing overall vehicle size while maintaining stability when needed. The modular design allows the vehicle to transition between compact and extended configurations.
Solution Approach 2:
The legged vehicle employs dynamic stabilization control that adjusts leg positioning and body orientation in real-time based on terrain feedback. The control system modulates the activation and positioning of legs during motion, allowing high-speed locomotion on stable surfaces while providing stability support when terrain irregularities are detected.
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional multi-legged vehicles are used for rough terrain, then terrain adaptability is improved, but vehicle complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Each leg module is designed as a universal component capable of performing multiple functions: locomotion, stabilization, and terrain sensing. The same leg structure can be deployed in different configurations depending on terrain requirements, eliminating the need for specialized components for each function and reducing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle adapts to different terrains by dynamically changing operational parameters such as leg extension length, foot placement position, and body tilt angle, rather than requiring structural modifications. The control system adjusts these parameters in real-time based on sensor feedback, providing terrain adaptability without increasing mechanical complexity.
3Reliability
If stabilization systems are added to prevent overturning, then stability is improved, but vehicle complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle employs active stabilization control where the existing legged locomotion system serves its own stabilization function. The control system continuously monitors vehicle orientation and terrain conditions, automatically adjusting leg positioning and body posture to prevent overturning without requiring separate stabilization mechanisms. The locomotion control and stabilization control are integrated into a unified system.
Solution Approach 2:
The stabilization system uses real-time feedback from inertial sensors and terrain sensors to detect vehicle tilt and orientation. The control system processes this feedback and dynamically adjusts leg forces and positions to counteract overturning moments, providing stability through closed-loop control rather than passive mechanical structures.
4Adaptability or versatility
If legged locomotion is used for rough terrain, then terrain capability is improved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The legged vehicle employs periodic gaits with alternating stance and swing phases, allowing energy recovery during deceleration and preparation for the next step. The rhythmic nature of legged locomotion enables elastic energy storage and release in leg mechanisms, reducing overall energy consumption compared to continuous actuation required by wheeled vehicles on rough terrain.
Solution Approach 2:
The vehicle optimizes energy consumption by dynamically adjusting gait parameters such as step length, step frequency, and leg extension velocity based on terrain difficulty. On easier terrain, the vehicle uses more efficient parameters that consume less energy, while reserving higher energy consumption modes for challenging terrain sections, as determined by real-time terrain assessment.
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle comprises a body, a first leg, and a second leg. The first leg has a proximal end jointed to the body, a distal end, and a first foot located on the distal end. A first maximum working envelope is associated with the first foot, where the first working range is inscribed within a first maximum working envelope. Likewise, the second leg has a proximal end jointed to the body in-line with the first leg, a distal end, and a second foot located on the distal end. A second maximum working envelope is associated with the second foot, where the second working range is inscribed within a second maximum working envelope. The vehicle thus defines a single-track multi-legged vehicle where the first leg and the second leg are attached to the body one behind the other, substantially parallel to a major axis of motion of the vehicle.