Mobile robot with retractable claws

Abstract

Robots are widely used nowadays for tasks that are either impossible or hazardous for humans to perform. Search-andrescue operations are among these, especially in the hazardous environments of nuclear power, chemical and biological plants. These rescue robots are expected to operate well in cases of natural disaster, e.g earthquakes, by overcoming unpredicted obstacles, as well as rough and even slippery surfaces like those associated with oil spills and snow storms. In this paper we discuss a robot which has claws that are normally in the retractable position, and can be activated when the robot encounters slippery surfaces or wants to climb a rough terrain. This combination takes advantage of the locomotion efficiency of wheels, and at the same time uses the retractable paws as legs or even for hooking it to objects that it wants to climb. The results of our simulations have been satisfactory and our goal is to have a working prototype with further test results at the conference.