Design and Implementation of a Quadruped Amphibious Robot Using Duck Feet

Abstract

Roaming complexity in terrains and unexpected environments pose significant difficulties in robotic exploration of an area. In a broader sense, robots have to face two common tasks during exploration, namely, walking on the drylands and swimming through the water. This research aims to design and develop an amphibious robot, which incorporates a webbed duck feet design to walk on different terrains, swim in the water, and tackle obstructions on its way. The designed robot is compact, easy to use, and also has the abilities to work autonomously. Such a mechanism is implemented by designing a novel robotic webbed foot consisting of two hinged plates. Because of the design, the webbed feet are able to open and close with the help of water pressure. Klann linkages have been used to convert rotational motion to walking and swimming for the animal’s gait. Because of its amphibian nature, the designed robot can be used for exploring tight caves, closed spaces, and moving on uneven challenging terrains such as sand, mud, or water. It is envisaged that the proposed design will be appreciated in the industry to design amphibious robots in the near future.

High-Speed, Heavy-Load, and Direction-Controllable Photothermal Pneumatic Floating Robot

“…As shown in Figure 1a, the design of the PPFR is based around a boat-paddle structure, with a floating body on the water surface, propelled by a drag from a swinging quasi-rhombus paddle, designed to maximize the water resistance, as has been seen in previous swimming robots. 21 The paddle is connected to a hollow transparent tube that leads up to the floating body consisting of a hollow transparent sphere housing the photothermal material (Figure 1b). The device rests on the water with the tube/foot submerged, sealing the air within the body and the tube; the pneumatics in the device arise from thermal control of this air, acting as a piston.…”

Locomotion Strategies for Amphibious Robots-A Review

“…To increase the quadruped robot stability complaint foot-pad where the design is inspired by duck feet. Saad et al [45] the proposed duck feet inspired design imitating the duck feet movement's operational behavior on land and water environment. The duck feet' critical analysis for motion inspires improved Klann linkage design mechanism which is trying to replicate the duck feet.…”

Development of a Stiffness‐Adjustable Articulated Paddle and its Application to a Swimming Robot

“…Whereas, inhibiting the anterior side deformation is required during power stroke to maintain large surface areas of the propulsors. Although this drag-powered rowing was studied in many previous works, [8,10,12,21,22,[25][26][27][28][29][30] only handful of robots had employed stiffness-adjustable propulsors in aquatic rowing. [12,21,22] Due to the tethered power cables, however, the robot was unable to perform free swimming in underwater.…”