Design of a Transformable Wheel-Leg Mobile Robot for Improved Mobility

In this study, we designed and fabricated a transformable wheel-leg robot that provides efficient mobility and obstacle overcoming under various structured and unstructured environments. The transformable wheel-leg is configured as a circular wheel on a flat surface and into the leg mode on rugged terrain for advanced mobility and terrain adaptability. Based on this goal, we analyzed the design parameters of the wheel-leg. A DC motor and gear mechanism were applied to realize transformation of the wheel and leg modes in the robot. Finally, experiments were performed to verify the improved obstacle overcoming capability.