JumpRoACH: A Trajectory-Adjustable Integrated Jumping–Crawling Robot

Abstract

In this paper, we present a milliscale-integrated jumping-crawling robot that can adjust its launch trajectory and upright itself. This multimodal robot shows an enhanced performance of overcoming obstacles compared with a robot with a single locomotion mode. To make this possible, the robot uses a newly developed jumping module with improved energy storing capacity and a height-adjustable active clutch. The jumping module utilizes both linear springs and torsional springs to maximize the energy-storing capacity under the given limit of structural robustness. To adjust the quantity of stored energy and release the energy at any state, an active clutch mechanism based on a single dc motor is developed, which enables the robot to control both jump timing and height. Also, an active shell allows the robot to upright itself after landing and to continue jumping and crawling. The jumping module and the shell are integrated with the lightweight VelociRoACH crawler. To show the usability in real-world applications, the integrated jumping-crawling robot is tested on the cluttered terrain. In result, the robot reaches a target using jumping, crawling, and self-righting.