Configuration Design of the Adaptive Suspension Vehicle

Abstract

The selection of vehicle and leg configuration and of power transmission and actuation system configuration for the adaptive suspension vehicle (ASV) are discussed. The ASV will be a proof-of-concept prototype of a proposed class of transportation vehicles for use in terrain that is not passable for conventional vehicles. It uses a legged locomotion princi ple. The machine will not be an autonomous "robot, " in the sense that it will carry an operator. It will, however, have a very high level of machine intelligence and environmental sensing capability. Much of the technology involved is unique and has potential for application to future robot systems. In this paper, major aspects of the vehicle and leg geometry, the on-board processing configuration, and the hydrostatic power transmission system are discussed.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Bekker, M.G. 1969. Introduction to terrain-vehicle systems. Ann Arbor, Mich: University of Michigan Press.

Elftman, H. 1944. Skeletal and muscular systems: Structure and function . Medical Physics, ed. Glasser , pp. 1420-1430.

Gabrielli G. , and Von Karman, T.H. 1950. What price speed. Mechanical Engineering 72(10):775-781.

Gardner, J.F. , et al. 1983 (Sept. 19-21, St. Louis). Design and testing of a digitally controlled hydraulic actuation system for a walking vehicle leg mechanism. Proc. 8th Appl. Mechanisms Conf. Stillwater, Okla.: Oklahoma State University, pp. 2-1 to 2-7.

Gurfinkel, V.S. , et al. 1981. Walking robot with supervisory control. Mechanism Mach. Theory 16:31- 36.

Hirose, S. , and Umetani, Y. , 1980 (Sept. 28-Oct. 1). The basic motion regulation system for a quadruped walking machine. ASME Paper No. 80-DET-34, delivered at Design Engineering Technical Conference , Los Angeles, Calif.

Kessis, J.J. , Rambaut, J.P. , and Penne, J. , 1981 (Sept. 8-12, Zaborow, Poland). Walking robot multi-level architecture and implementation. Proc. 4th Symp. Theory and Practice Robots and Manipulators. Warsaw: Polish Scientific Publishers, pp. 297-304.

Klein, C.A. , Olson K.W. , and Pugh, D.R. , 1983. Use of force and attitude sensors for locomotion of a legged vehicle over irregular terrain. Int. J. Robotics Res. 2(2): 3-17.

McGhee, R.B. , Forthcoming. Vehicular legged locomotion. Advances in automoation and robotics. ed., G. N. Saridis. Greenwich, Conn.: Jai Press.

10.

Mosher, R.S. 1969 (Jan.). Exploring the potential of a quadruped. SAE Paper No. 690191, delivered at Intemational Automotive Engineering Conference, Detroit, Mich.

11.

Raibert, M.H. , and Sutherland, I.E. , 1983. Machines that walk. Scientific American 248(2): 44-53.

12.

Russell, M. 1983. Odex 1: The first functionoid. Robotics Age 5(5):12-18.

13.

Song, S.M. et al. 1981 (Dec. 7-9). Computer-aided design of a leg for an energy efficient walking machine. Paper delivered at 7th Appl. Mechanisms Conf, Kansas City, Mo.

14.

Song, S.M. , Waldron, K.J. , and Kinzel. G.L. , 1983 (Sept. 19-21). Computer-aided geometric design of legs for a walking vehicle. Paper delivered at 8th Appl. Mechanisms Conf, St. Louis, Mo.

15.

Sutherland, I.E. , 1982. A walking robot. Pittsburgh: Marcian Chronicles.

16.

U.S. Army. 1967 (Feb.). Logistical vehicle off-road mobility (Project TCCO 62-5). Fort Eustis, Va.: U.S. Army Transportation Combat Developments Agency .

17.

Vohnout, V.J. , Alexander, K.S. , and Kinzel, G.L. 1983 (Sept. 19-21). The structural design of the legs for a walking vehicle. Paper delivered at 8th Appl. Mechanisms Conf, St. Louis, Mo. pp. 50-1 to50-8 .

18.

Waldron, K.J. , Forthcoming. Robots and smart machines. Standard handbook of machine design, ed. J. E. Shigley and C. R. Mischke. New York: McGraw-Hill.

19.

Zuk, D. 1983 (Mar. 21-23, Denver). 3D optical terrain sensor for the 1984 ASV. Workshop Summary, AF/ DARPA Robotics Workshop, pp. 11-11 to 11-27