Research on stability of modular multi-legged robots with non-isomorphic configurations

Abstract

Modular robots can be reconfigured and deformed into multiple non-isomorphic configurations. Different configurations of robots exhibit diverse motion and stability characteristics. Therefore, the stability of robots with different configurations is essential to improve their motion control robustness and expand their application range. In this article, a new reconfigurable modular multi-legged robot is designed. To analyze the stability of the various typical non-isomorphic configurations of modular robots, a hybrid discrimination method combining the static stability margin-force angle stability margin-stability cone is proposed. By conducting simulation experiments on the static minimum tilt angle of robots in tilt, pitched, and yawed terrains, as well as their combinations, and evaluating the performance index of tipping in the presence of external force interference, the effectiveness of the proposed method can be proved. Furthermore, the movement experiments of the robot in irregular terrain under the quadruped configuration and hexapod configuration were carried out, it is proven that the robot under different configurations can maintain the stability of the structure.