MANEUVERING ROBOTIC VEHICLES HAVING A POSITIONABLE SENSOR HEAD
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method performed by a robot for addressing various obstacles, the method comprising:
- assuming a stable stair ascending position, wherein;
the robot comprises;
a chassis having a chassis center of gravity;
a set of driven flippers, each flipper having a proximal end, a distal end, and a flipper center of gravity therebetween, each the proximal end of each flipper coupled to the chassis near the leading end of the chassis;
a neck having a pivot end, a distal end, and a neck center of gravity therebetween, the neck pivotable about a second pivot axis substantially at the leading end of the chassis; and
a sensor head at the distal end of the neck, the head having a pivot end, a distal end, and a head center of gravity therebetween, the head pivotable with respect to the neck about a third pivot axis at the distal end of the neck; and
in the stable stair ascending position, the centers of gravity of the head, neck, and flippers are positioned to shift a vertical projection of the overall center of gravity of the robot to at least one step span in front of the rearmost main track ground contact point and at least one step span behind the foremost flipper track ground contact point; and
assuming an unstable stair ascending position in which the centers of gravity of the head, neck, and flippers are positioned to shift a vertical projection of the overall center of gravity of the robot to outside the stable range.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Configurations are provided for vehicular robots or other vehicles to provide shifting of their centers of gravity for enhanced obstacle navigation. Various head and neck morphologies are provided to allow positioning for various poses such as a stowed pose, observation poses, and inspection poses. Neck extension and actuator module designs are provided to implement various head and neck morphologies. Robot control network circuitry is also provided.
-
Citations
1 Claim
-
1. A method performed by a robot for addressing various obstacles, the method comprising:
-
assuming a stable stair ascending position, wherein; the robot comprises; a chassis having a chassis center of gravity; a set of driven flippers, each flipper having a proximal end, a distal end, and a flipper center of gravity therebetween, each the proximal end of each flipper coupled to the chassis near the leading end of the chassis; a neck having a pivot end, a distal end, and a neck center of gravity therebetween, the neck pivotable about a second pivot axis substantially at the leading end of the chassis; and a sensor head at the distal end of the neck, the head having a pivot end, a distal end, and a head center of gravity therebetween, the head pivotable with respect to the neck about a third pivot axis at the distal end of the neck; and in the stable stair ascending position, the centers of gravity of the head, neck, and flippers are positioned to shift a vertical projection of the overall center of gravity of the robot to at least one step span in front of the rearmost main track ground contact point and at least one step span behind the foremost flipper track ground contact point; and assuming an unstable stair ascending position in which the centers of gravity of the head, neck, and flippers are positioned to shift a vertical projection of the overall center of gravity of the robot to outside the stable range.
-
Specification