Mobile Robot Concept with Walking Wheels Made of Rotary Segments

Crossing over obstacles or riding up in steep terrain is still not completely solved problem in wheeled-mobile robotics. This paper describes a concept of four-wheeled mobile robot with unique patented wheels made of rotary segments. Rotation of segments changes the surface of wheels from normal wheel for movement on roads or flat ground to wheels for movement in terrain, over obstacles or upstairs. For control of walking-wheels a drive stored in an aluminium frame was build. The drive allows to set its shaft into two position. One for control of movement of the drive and second for control of opening and closing of wheel segments. Current feedback regulator is in the frame of drive. PLC with smart device controller (SDC) structure is used for control of the mobile robot. It allows to control drives without specialized motion control units. The main goal of this paper is to describe a mechanical construction of this mobile robot, its drives and basics of software motion control for further testing of mobile robot wheels on different terrains in different environments.