Zero Carrier: A Novel Eight Leg-Wheels Hybrid Stair Climbing Mobile Vehicle

Jianjun Yuan; Shigeo Hirose

doi:10.20965/jrm.2005.p0044

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JRM Vol.17 No.1 pp. 44-51

doi: 10.20965/jrm.2005.p0044

(2005)

Paper:

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Zero Carrier: A Novel Eight Leg-Wheels Hybrid Stair Climbing Mobile Vehicle

Jianjun Yuan, and Shigeo Hirose

Hirose and Yoneda Lab. - Dept. of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan

Received:

September 21, 2004

Accepted:

December 20, 2004

Published:

February 20, 2005

Keywords:

leg-wheel hybrid, stair climbing mobile vehicle, stair climbing wheelchair, Zero Carrier

Abstract

In this paper, we first introduce the proposal of this leg-wheel hybrid stair climbing mobile vehicle, “Zero Carrier,” which consists of eight independent prismatic-joint legs, four active wheels, and four passive casters. Zero Carrier can perform safe and stable three-dimensional motion. After making a short description of its simplified and unified leg mechanism and its control system, we discuss the control method and its automatic moving sequence on stairs or obstacles using distance sensors, proximity sensors, and electric current sensors, then verify its performance based on some experiments. Its lightweight, compactness, economy, and high stability on stair climbing motion are expected to gain Zero Carrier wide use in complex environment such as hospitals, schools, and stations.

Cite this article as:

Jianjun Yuan and Shigeo Hirose, “Zero Carrier: A Novel Eight Leg-Wheels Hybrid Stair Climbing Mobile Vehicle,” J. Robot. Mechatron., Vol.17, No.1, pp. 44-51, 2005.

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References

[1] Annual report on the aging society, 2004, Japanese Cabinet Office.
[2] S. Hirose, S. Aoki, and J. Miyake, “Development of Terrain Adaptive Quadru-Track Vehicle HELIOS-II,” Jour. of RSJ, Vol.10, No.2, pp. 145-153, 1992.
[3] T. Ohmichi, and T. Ibe, “Development of Vehicle with Legs and Wheels,” Jour. of RSJ, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 68-75, 1984.
[4] Y. Konuma, and S. Hirose, “Development of 2 types of leg-wheel vehicle with the function of stable stair climbing,” Proc. of the 8th Robotics Symposia, pp. 160-167, 2003.
[5] J. Yuan, and S. Hirose, “Research on leg-wheel hybrid stairclimbing robot, Zero Carrier,” Proc. of IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Biomimetics, pp. 620-625, 2004.
[6] S. Hirose, and M. Sato, “Coupled Drive of the Multi-DOF Robot,” Proc. 1989 IEEE Int. Conf. On Robotics and Automation, pp. 1610-1616, 1989.
[7] E. F. Fukushima, K. Takita, S. Hirose, and T. Nakamura, “Development of TITech Wire: a High Speed Serial I/O for Robot Controllers,” Proc. of TITech COE/Super Mechano-System Symposium 2001, Nov. 19-20, pp. HRS8, 2001.
[8] E. F. Fukushima, T. Tsumaki, and S. Hirose, “Development of A PWM DC Motor Servo Driver Circuit,” proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan, pp. 1153-1154, 1995.

[1] [1] Annual report on the aging society, 2004, Japanese Cabinet Office.

[2] [2] S. Hirose, S. Aoki, and J. Miyake, “Development of Terrain Adaptive Quadru-Track Vehicle HELIOS-II,” Jour. of RSJ, Vol.10, No.2, pp. 145-153, 1992.

[3] [3] T. Ohmichi, and T. Ibe, “Development of Vehicle with Legs and Wheels,” Jour. of RSJ, Vol.2, No.3, pp. 68-75, 1984.

[4] [4] Y. Konuma, and S. Hirose, “Development of 2 types of leg-wheel vehicle with the function of stable stair climbing,” Proc. of the 8th Robotics Symposia, pp. 160-167, 2003.

[5] [5] J. Yuan, and S. Hirose, “Research on leg-wheel hybrid stairclimbing robot, Zero Carrier,” Proc. of IEEE Int. Conf. on Robotics and Biomimetics, pp. 620-625, 2004.

[6] [6] S. Hirose, and M. Sato, “Coupled Drive of the Multi-DOF Robot,” Proc. 1989 IEEE Int. Conf. On Robotics and Automation, pp. 1610-1616, 1989.

[7] [7] E. F. Fukushima, K. Takita, S. Hirose, and T. Nakamura, “Development of TITech Wire: a High Speed Serial I/O for Robot Controllers,” Proc. of TITech COE/Super Mechano-System Symposium 2001, Nov. 19-20, pp. HRS8, 2001.

[8] [8] E. F. Fukushima, T. Tsumaki, and S. Hirose, “Development of A PWM DC Motor Servo Driver Circuit,” proceedings of the 13th Annual Conference of the Robotics Society of Japan, pp. 1153-1154, 1995.