出力均質性の高いパラレルメカニズムを利用した省自由度歩行ロボットの研究

抄録

It is an effective method to improve the controllability for a robot to construct it using the least number of DOF as possible. In this paper, a new lightweight walking robot is developed that uses a simple mechanism to move and work with high efficiency. This robot consists of two leg-bases with three legs each and walks by moving each leg-base alternately. These leg-bases are connected to each other through a 6-DOF mechanism. Thus, when the robot stands on three legs, or one leg-base is placed on the ground, the other leg-base can be used as a 6-DOF manipulator or active working platform. The output force, velocity, and movable range of various mechanisms for connecting the two leg-bases were analyzed using a new idea of comparison for its output characteristic. Good performance can be achieved with a serial-parallel hybrid mechanism consisting of three 6-DOF serial linked arms composed of two active and four passive joints positioned with radial symmetry about the center of each leg-base. Walking experiments with this robot that uses this mechanism as a leg-drive mechanism confirm that this mechanism has satisfactory performance despite having less DOF and can be used for 6-DOF motion base.