Confluence of Active and Passive Control Mechanisms Enabling Autonomy and Terrain Adaptability for Robots in Variable Environments

Abstract

We report the successful design and fabrication of an autonomous robot, dubbed the CASE/NPS Beach Whegstrade robot, capable of navigating the challenging terrain of the non-submersed surf-zone region based on abstracted biological inspiration. Abstracted biological inspiration attempts to distill salient biological principles and implement them using presently available technologies; its efficacy lies in the successful fusion of organic and inorganic architectures such that the proper level of influence of biology is established for optimum performance. The CASE/NPS Beach Whegstrade robot benefits from insect inspired mechanisms of locomotion for movement over challenging and different terrains. The robotpsilas mechanics are an integrated and essential part of its control system. It does not have, or need, sensors and control circuits to actively change its gait. Instead, its mechanics cause it to passively adapt its gait appropriately to very different terrains. Therefore, its motor control circuits are reduced to controlling broad directives of the robot. Its navigational system is a higher-level circuit that communicates desired speed and heading to the local control system. The confluence of active and passive control mechanisms in the robot have resulted in a system with the simplicity of a wheeled vehicle that nevertheless facilitates the mobility of a legged vehicle.