Design of a quadruped walking machine for terrain adaptation

Abstract

The design of a legged robot that can walk in various kinds of terrain is a subject in the development of walking machines. The body shape of the proposed robot is rectangular and a simple 2-bar mechanism is proposed as the component of the legs. There are 3 degrees of freedom in each leg. Based on the mechanical structure, the kinetic description including the direct and inverse kinematics is given. The walking sequence can then be achieved according to the kinematic analysis. Design of the robot is explained and the prototype of the robot is presented. Such a robot with its simple structure and full functions can be used as a simple and cheap device for exploration of unknown areas, for transportation, carriage, etc.