Lywal: a Leg-Wheel Transformable Quadruped Robot with Picking up and Transport Functions

Abstract

This paper introduces a leg-wheel transformable quadruped robot named Lywal which can switch to the leg-mode and the wheel-mode for locomotion, and the claw-mode for picking up and transport functions. First, the mechanical structure of Lywal is designed by using an innovative 2-DoF transformable mechanism. Second, the calculation of kinematics is analyzed in detail. Then, the switching-mode strategy and the mobile control strategies in different modes are designed. Finally, the prototype of Lywal is built. The properties of the mobile modes are analyzed, and the picking-up and transport functions of the claw-mode are verified through physical experiments.