Wheel-legged robot support region adjustment via leg segmentation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Hexapod wheel-legged robots face challenges in adjusting their support region due to redundant structures, requiring complex location planning for each foot wheel, which complicates the adjustment process.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus for controlling a wheel-legged robot with inner and outer mechanical legs connected through hip joints on a shared vertical plane, allowing adjustment of the support region by moving the legs in different directions to switch between postures, simplifying the adjustment process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If six foot wheels are controlled to move in different directions to change the support region, then the robot can perform different tasks, but the device complexity increases due to redundant structure and complex location planning for each foot wheel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the six foot wheels into two functional groups: four wheels forming a rectangular support region and two wheels forming a triangular support region. This segmentation allows the robot to switch between different support configurations without complex individual control of each wheel, reducing location planning complexity while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent designs the mechanical legs with universal joints that can perform multiple functions: supporting the robot body, positioning foot wheels, and enabling transitions between different support regions. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate location planning mechanisms for each foot wheel.
2Adaptability or versatility
If six foot wheels are controlled to move in different directions to change the support region, then the robot can perform different tasks, but the ease of operation decreases due to redundant structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of multiple foot wheels into unified mechanical leg assemblies. Each mechanical leg controls multiple foot wheels through universal joints, allowing simultaneous adjustment of multiple wheels through a single control input. This merging significantly improves ease of operation compared to controlling each wheel independently.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs dynamic mechanical leg structures with universal joints that can automatically adapt their configuration based on the desired support region. The legs can dynamically transition between different angular positions and configurations, making support region adjustment more intuitive and easier to operate.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the robot uses a hexapod structure with six foot wheels, then the stability is improved, but the device complexity increases due to redundant structure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the six-foot-wheel hexapod structure into two functional groups: a four-wheel rectangular support configuration and a two-wheel triangular support configuration. This segmentation maintains the stability benefits of multiple contact points while reducing structural redundancy and simplifying the overall mechanical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses dynamic mechanical leg structures with universal joints that can adjust their configuration based on operational needs. This dynamic capability allows the robot to maintain stability through multiple contact points when needed while simplifying the structure by reducing active control elements for less critical support configurations.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
A method and an apparatus for controlling a wheel-legged robot, a device, and a storage medium are provided, and relate to the field of artificial intelligence technologies. The method includes: for a wheel-legged robot including an inner mechanical leg and an outer mechanical leg, controlling the wheel-legged robot to stand on a support surface such that the two outer mechanical legs and the at least one inner mechanical leg of the wheel-legged robot contact the support surface (1001); and controlling at least one foot wheel, which contacts the support surface, on the two outer mechanical legs to move in a first direction, and controlling at least one foot wheel, which contacts the support surface, on the at least one inner mechanical leg to move in a second direction different from the first direction, to cause the wheel-legged robot to be switched from the initial posture to an adjusted posture (1002). In embodiments of this application, the support region of the wheel-legged robot can be changed by merely adjusting the outer mechanical leg in the first direction and adjusting the inner mechanical leg in the second direction, thereby reducing difficulty in adjusting the support region.