DESIGN AND SIMULATING GENERAL APPROACHES OF AN ARTICULATED WHEELED-LEGGED CHASSIS OF THE LUNAR ROVER
Abstract
The paper considers the problem of constructing a chassis for a research lunar rover with ultra-high traversability over uncertain terrain with soft soil. Direct remote and supervisory control of modern complex robotic systems in non-deterministic environment places an increased workload on the operator, especially in the case of high-traversability mobile platforms with a large number of degrees of freedom (DoF) requiring coordinated control. In this regard, the problem of automating the movement of such a multi-DoF chassis as well as automating the motion planning depending on situation based on sensor feedback becomes relevant. This article proposes a concept for a multi-degree chassis for a research lunar rover, including a design and layout scheme of the chassis and a method for its application, i.e., motion algorithms on various types of rough terrain. A methodology for control algorithms design is proposed, and a brief description of the developed algorithms and the simulation models of the chassis for its preliminary testing is provided. The final outcome of this work is expected to be a number of experimentally obtained characteristics of the laboratory chassis model and the verification of the developed computer models and control algorithms of the multi-DOF chassis. Completing these tasks will provide scientific and technical groundwork for the motion control of wheeled- legged systems and improve the quality of lunar rovers' modeling and design. The results obtained at this stage allow us to move on to the manufacturing an experimental prototype and conducting physical experiments on this prototype to test the developed algorithms and simulation models. Experimental verification of the multi-DoF chassis control algorithms and their design methodology will improve the level of autonomy of future mobile robots designed to operate in extreme off-planet conditions
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