Highly mobile and robust small quadruped robots

Abstract

This paper describes novel highly mobile small robots called "mini-whegs" that can run and jump. They are derived from our larger whegs series of robots, which benefit from abstracted cockroach locomotion principles. Key to their success are the three spoked appendages, called "whegs", which combine the speed and simplicity of wheels with the climbing mobility of legs. To be more compact than the larger whegs vehicles, mini-whegs uses four whegs in an alternating diagonal gait. These 9 cm long robots can run at sustained speeds of over 10 body lengths per second and climb obstacles that are taller than their leg length. They can run forward and backward, on either side. Their robust construction allows them to tumble down a flight of stairs with no damage and carry a payload equal to twice their weight. A jumping mechanism has also been developed that enables mini-whegs to surmount much larger obstacles, such as stair steps.