The hybrid mobile robot

Abstract

A hybrid mobile robot, as its name suggests, consists of a number of different types of locomotion mechanisms. In most cases, two types of locomotion devices are combined, for example wheel-leg, track-wheel, etc. On an even and solid surface the robot moves by means of a mechanism that permits high speed motion (such as a wheel undercarriage). In an uneven or ragged terrain the robot is capable of scaling obstacles using mechanisms that make for easier movement in such an environment (e.g. a track undercarriage, walking mechanism). The benefits of a combined kinematic structure include a relatively high speed of motion and a good manoeuvrability in an uneven terrain. This contribution deals with the up-to-date developments in the field of hybrid robots (HR) and describes possible alternative designs of mobile robot constructions.