A tread/limb/serpentine hybrid robot: Toward hypermobility in deconstructed environments

Joshua T Lane, Purdue University

Abstract

According to the Red Cross, an average of over 600 disasters and 100,000 associated deaths occur annually throughout the world. This frequency of disasters strains an already overburdened disaster response effort. In the first 48 hours of a rescue operation, it is estimated that a responder will get less than three hours of continuous sleep as they need to work at full force to set up the operation and begin work in the field. This leads to sleep deprivation during the most critical time for search and rescue of victims. Therefore, robots are greatly needed as a force multiplier in USAR response to reduce some of the burden and workload placed on the human rescue workers to make for a more efficient and effective response. This thesis outlines the development of a tread/limb/serpentine hybrid robot, built from a hybridization of a multiplicity of novel two-dimensional tread mechanisms interspersed with two dimensional articulating joints that combines the mobility strengths of wheels, treads, limbs, and snakes. This hybridization not only enables the robot to lift the tread mechanisms over obstacles with its joints, but also enables far greater capability through holonomic locomotion thanks to the novel two-dimensional tread mechanism design. The mobility of this hybrid robot was evaluated through experimentation and the design of the robot demonstrated both pros and cons compared to similar existing platforms.

Degree

M.S.

Advisors

Voyles, Purdue University.

Subject Area

Engineering|Robotics

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