Publication
SherpaTT: A Versatile Hybrid Wheeled-Leg Rover
Florian Cordes; Ajish Babu
In: Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation In Space. International Symposium on Artificial Intelligence, Robotics and Automation in Space (iSAIRAS-16), June 20-23, Beijing, China, n.n. 6/2016.
Abstract
This paper subsumes the first experiences with the hardware of the robotic system SherpaTT. The mobile platform consists of four legs, each equipped with a wheel at its end. All legs are connected via a central body. The chosen control design and approach are validated with experiments using the robotic hardware. Autonomous active ground adaption is able to significantly improve the system's stability in terms of ground contact force tracking and body roll/pitch stability. For adaption, the robot makes use of a one dimensional force measurement per wheel and the roll and pitch angles as measured by an inertial measurement unit in the central body. The results of the experiments are an excellent base for further development of the motion capabilities of the rover.