Wheeled-legged robots for multi-terrain locomotion in plateau environments

Abstract

Wheeled-legged robots integrate the mobility efficiency of wheeled platforms with the terrain adaptability of legged robots, making them ideal for complex, unstructured environments. However, balancing high payload capacity with agile multimodal locomotion remains a major challenge. This paper presents a field study conducted in the high-altitude region of Golmud, Qinghai, with elevations ranging from 2800 m to 4000 m. We evaluate three wheeled-legged robot platforms of different scales on diverse terrains including Gobi, desert, grassland, and wetlands. Our experiments demonstrate the robot’s robust locomotion performance across multimodal tasks such as obstacle crossing, slope climbing, and terrain classification. Moreover, we validate the performance of autonomous perception systems, including real-time localization and 3D mapping, under harsh plateau conditions. The results provide valuable insights into the deployment of wheeled-legged robots in extreme natural environments and lay a solid foundation for future applications in inspection, rescue, and transport missions in high-altitude regions.