Design and Performance of a Wheel-legged Mobility System of Mars Rover

  • GAO Haibo ,
  • ZHENG Junqiang ,
  • LIU Zhen ,
  • WANG Yabin ,
  • YU Haitao ,
  • DENG Zongquan
Expand
  • State Key Laboratory of Robotics and System, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080

Received date: 2018-05-11

  Revised date: 2018-09-11

  Online published: 2019-01-05

Abstract

In order to overcome the problem that the traction of wheeled rover on loose terrain is limited by the wheel-soil mechanism. A four wheeled Mars rover with wheel-legged mobility is proposed. The adhesion of the brake wheel and the traction of the driving wheel is compared based on terramechanics, the sole mechanism of wheel-legged is clarified. A double pendulum walking mechanism is presented. Two rotate joints of double pendulum walking mechanism are associated with a belt drive. The driving motor takes less load and costs less energy than that the joints are drove independently. One planetary gear train and two brakes are utilized to control the four operating states of mobile system:wheel, step, wheel-legged and brake. The calculation methods of transmission ratio of wheel motion and step motion are given according to the load analysis of slope wheeled climbing and slope wheel-legged walking. The design and manufactured of the prototype is completed after the set of reducers is clarified. The typical gaits are proposed and the variation on joint load with each gait is analyzed built on simulation. This research aims to expand structures and research methods of Chinese rover, and to provide recommendations for future Mars exploration.

Cite this article

GAO Haibo , ZHENG Junqiang , LIU Zhen , WANG Yabin , YU Haitao , DENG Zongquan . Design and Performance of a Wheel-legged Mobility System of Mars Rover[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering, 2019 , 55(1) : 1 -16 . DOI: 10.3901/JME.2019.01.001

References

[1] BASILEVSKY A T,ABDRAKHIMOV A M,HEAD J W,et al. Geologic characteristics of the Luna 17/Lunokhod 1 and Chang' E-3/Yutu landing sites,North Mare Imbrium of the Moon[J]. Planetary and Space Science,2015,117:385-400.
[2] DAVID B. NASA Mars rover manual:1997-2013(Sojourner,Spirit,Opportunity and Curiosity)[M]. London:Haynes Publishing UK,2013.
[3] LAKDAWALLA E. The design and engineering of curiosity[M]. New York:Springer,2018.
[4] DAVID P M,LEE T L. High-speed traversal of rough terrain using a rocker-bogie mobility system[C]//5th International Conference and Exposition on Robotics for Challenging Situations and Environments,March,17-21,2002,Albuquerque,New Mexico,United States:ASCE,2002:428-434.
[5] JEFFREY E C. Simulation of a six wheeled Martian rover called the rocker bogie[D]. Ohio:Ohio State University,1992.
[6] 李所军,高海波,邓宗全. 摇臂式月球车的运动学建模及悬架参数优化[J]. 西安交通大学学报,2009,43(9):62-66. LI Suojun,GAO Haibo,DENG Zongquan. Kinematics modeling of rocker-bogie lunar rover and suspension parameter optimization[J]. Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University,2009,43(9):62-66.
[7] KUMAR P,PATHAK P M. Dynamic modeling,simulation and velocity control of rocker-bogie rover for space exploration[J]. International Journal of Intelligent Mechatronics & Robotics,2017,1(2):27-41.
[8] 黄卫东,鲍劲松,徐有生,等. 月球车坡路行驶地面力学模型与运动性能分析[J]. 机械工程学报,2013,49(5):17-23. HUANG Weidong,BAO Jinsong,XU Yousheng,et al. Terramechanics model and movement performance analysis of a lunar rover for slope travel[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2013,49(5):17-23.
[9] BEKKER G. Theory of land locomotion (mechanism of vehicle mobility)[M]. Ann Arbor:University of Michigan Press,1956.
[10] WONG J,REECE A R. Prediction of rigid wheel performance based on analysis of soil-wheel stresses[J]. Part I Performance of Driven Rigid Wheels,1967,4:81-98.
[11] SENATORE C,IAGNEMMA K. Analysis of stress distributions under light weight wheeled vehicles[J]. Journal of Terramechanics,2014(51):1-17.
[12] SHIRAI T,ISHIGAMI G. Development of in-wheel sensor system for accurate measurement of wheel terrain interaction characteristics[J]. Journal of Terramechanics,2015,62(8849):51-61.
[13] SHIBLY H,IAGNEMMA K,DUBOWSKY S. An equivalent soil mechanics formulation for rigid wheels in deformable terrain,with application to planetary exploration rovers[J]. Journal of Terramechanics,2005,42(1):1-13.
[14] DING L,GAO H,DENG Z,et al. Experimental study and analysis on driving wheels' performance for planetary exploration rovers moving in deformable soil[J]. Journal of Terramechanics,2011,48(1):27-45.
[15] 邹猛,李建桥,张金换,等. 月球车驱动轮在不同介质上的牵引性能[J]. 吉林大学学报,2010,40(1):25-29. ZOU Meng,LI Jianqiao,ZHANG Jinhuan,et al. Traction ability of lunar rover's driving wheel on different soils[J]. Journal of Jilin University,2010,40(1):25-29.
[16] SMITH J A,SHARF I,TRENTINI M. PAW:A hybrid wheeled-leg robot[C]//IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation,May,15-19,2006,Orlando,Florida,United States:IEEE,2006:4043-4048.
[17] GRAND C,BENAMAR F,PLUMET F. Motion kinematics analysis of wheeled-legged rover over 3D surface with posture adaptation[J]. Mechanism & Machine Theory,2010,45(3):477-495.
[18] BARTLETT P W,WETTERGREEN D,WHITTAKER W L. The scarab rover as designed for lunar science and resource exploration[C]//Lunar and Planetary Science Conference,March,10-14,2008,League City,Texas,United States:SAO/NASA,2008:2120-2121.
[19] TAROKH M,MCDERMOTT G. A systematic approach to kinematics modeling of high mobility wheeled rovers[C]//IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation,April,10-14,2007,Roma,Italy:IEEE,2007:4905-4910.
[20] TAROKH M,HO H D,BOULOUBASIS A. Systematic kinematics analysis and balance control of high mobility rovers over rough terrain[J]. Robotics & Autonomous Systems,2013,61(1):13-24.
[21] ZHENG J Q,GAO H. Design and terramechanics analysis of a Mars rover utilizing active suspension[J]. Mechanism and Machine Theory,2018,128:125-149.
[22] RANKINE W J M. On the stability of loose earth[J]. Philosophical Transactions,1857,147:9-27.
[23] SULLIVAN R,ANDERSON R,BIESIADECKI J,et al. Cohesions and friction angles of Martian regolith from MER wheel trenches[C]//41st Lunar and Planetary Science Conference,March,1-5,2010,Woodlands,Texas,United States:NASA,2010:1879-1880.
[24] 杨怀广,丁亮,高海波,等. 星球车车轮原地转向沉陷试验及模型研究[J]. 机械工程学报,2017,53(8):100-108. YANG Huaiguang,DING Liang,GAO Haibo,et al. Experimental study and modeling of wheel's steering sinkage for planetary exploration rovers[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2017,53(8):100-108.
[25] GUO J L,DING L,GAO H B. An apparatus to measure wheel-soil interactions on sandy terrains[J]. IEEE/ASME Transactions on mechatronics,2018,23(1):352-363.
[26] 丁亮,高海波,邓宗全,等. 基于应力分布的月球车轮地相互作用地面力学模型[J]. 机械工程学报,2009,45(7):49-55. DING Liang,GAO Haibo,DENG Zongquan,et al. Terramechanics model for wheel-terrain interaction of lunar rover based on stress distribution[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2009,45(7):49-55.
[27] 肖万申,张岩. 载人月球车车轮设计及基于弹性车轮轮壤相互作用的力学模型研究[J]. 机械工程学报,2016,52(10):119-125. XIAO Wanshen,ZHANG Yan. Design of wheel of manned lunar rover and research on terramechanics model for wheel-terrain interaction based on elastic wheel[J]. Journal of Mechanical Engineering,2016,52(10):119-125.
Outlines

/