Design Issues for Hexapod Walking Robots

Abstract

Hexapod walking robots have attracted considerable attention for several decades. Many studies have been carried out in research centers, universities and industries. However, only in the recent past have efficient walking machines been conceived, designed and built with performances that can be suitable for practical applications. This paper gives an overview of the state of the art on hexapod walking robots by referring both to the early design solutions and the most recent achievements. Careful attention is given to the main design issues and constraints that influence the technical feasibility and operation performance. A design procedure is outlined in order to systematically design a hexapod walking robot. In particular, the proposed design procedure takes into account the main features, such as mechanical structure and leg configuration, actuating and driving systems, payload, motion conditions, and walking gait. A case study is described in order to show the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed design procedure.

A Hybrid Multi-objective Evolutionary Approach for Optimal Path Planning of a Hexapod Robot

“…Furthermore, one can note that the leg can reach about 3.5 times the link length (not considering the wheel radius) with energy values that can be even lower than 100 watts. These values can be seen as feasible also as compared to standards [1].…”

“…Hexapod walking robots (HWR) are six legged robots having a degree of autonomy that can range from partial autonomy, including teleoperation, to full autonomy without active human intervention [1] [2]. HWR usually have as high stability, low footprint, fault tolerant locomotion features [3].…”

Design of a Novel Leg-Wheel Hexapod Walking Robot

“…The third motor allows to move the wheels in a full rotation range. Forwards kinematics is described by Equation (1).…”

“…The legs are controlled with a degree of autonomy so that the robot can move within its environment, to perform intended tasks [1]. HWRs possess clear advantages over wheeled or crawler robots noted widely in the literature such as those reported in [2][3][4], since multi-legged locomotion allows obstacle climbing capability, omnidirectional motion, variable geometry, stability, access to uneven terrain, and fault tolerant locomotion.…”

Design and Control of Self-Stabilizing Angular Robotics Anywalker

“…This allows overcoming very steep angles while maintaining the stability of the body [3]. Walking robots were used to investigate remote locations and hostile environments, such as the seabed, space, nuclear power plants, and in rescue operations [4]. In addition, vehicles with a walking principle can be used, for example, for collecting materials, for transporting goods, as service robots, for moving to hard-to-reach areas of production and main pipelines.…”