Design And Motion Analysis Of A Reconfigurable Tracked Mobile Robot

With the rapid development of technology, modern battlefield is getting more complex and variable, leading to enhanced mobile robot combating platforms in wars. These must bring a vital effect to the mode of wars in 21st century, our demands for robot combating platforms which can adapt to complicated battlefield situations are expanding. Especially recently, as the aggregation of terrorism threaten, research about this sort of robot is being attached more importance.Aiming to demands of this field, a reconfigurable track mobile robot based on a parallel four-bar mechanism has been presented in this project. The parametric mechanical model of the robot was proposed, the kinetic and dynamic characters were analyzed theoretically and a virtual robot prototype has been constructed to analyze and simulate the performance of the robot. Finally, the prototype has been produced and an initial experiment has been performed to verify the reconfigurable theory, parametric model and motion analysis. Specific achievements got are as follows:1) Based on the reconfigurable theory of a parallel four-bar mechanism applied to robot's track, the straight travel, rotation and climbing stability were analyzed, and the suspension was designed. Finally, the structural parameters and design index were presented.2) Parametric model for overcoming barriers like slope, step and trench etc was proposed, and locomotion configurations for overcoming obstacles were planed. Based on the parameterized model proposed, the robot was analyzed kinematically and dynamically in theory, and the theory maximum for overcoming obstacles are calculated, that will offering basis for the design of mechanical structure and control system.3) The virtual experiment environment for overcoming slope, step and trench was built and simulation was processed, verifying the exactness of theoretical analysis. Meanwhile, the virtual experiment environment for robot's crossing rugged road and falling off vertically was built and simulation was processed, validating the suspension's effectiveness for absorption of vibration, and main parameters of the suspension had been determined.4) The prototype of the reconfigurable track mobile robot was produced, and its performance was initially experimented. Experiment performance statistics showed the robot's performance parameters reached design index requirements, and have a good capability of overcoming obstacles.