An Investigation on Shape of Leg for Small Leg Typed Rovers with a Function of Vibration Propagation

In recent years, the leg typed robots are focused on as a small exploration rover. However, it is difficult to walk on the loose ground for these rovers. Our research group was proposed walking method using vibration for improving running performance of small leg typed rover. In this research, the shape of leg which is suitable for the walking method using vibration is proposed. By improving about the shape of leg, it is considered that the changes of the ground when vibration gives to the ground can be lager. The shape of leg that it is easy to increase sinkage to the ground was proposed in order to increase passive earth pressure. The experiment which measures sinkage and passive earth pressure was carried out using proposed shapes of leg. From the result of experiment, it was confirmed that sinkage of the leg to the ground and passive earth pressure were increased using shape of leg which reduces surface which touches the ground. The reason is that force which is given to the ground is not spread using this shape. Next, the slope walking experiment was carried out using testbed. Moreover, slip rate of testbed was reduced by about 23% using proposed shape of leg. Therefore, it was confirmed that moving performance of small leg typed rovers is improved by improving the shape of leg.