Mechanism Design of a Small Hexapod Robot for Multiple Environments

Abstract

Japan's infrastructure facilities are faced with a huge inspection area and a shortage of inspection personnel. Therefore, efficient inspection is required, and the development of robots that can inspect pipes and wall surfaces is needed. However, most of these robots are designed for a single environment, and there has been no progress in the development of robots that can handle multiple environments. In this report, we focus on the development of a leg mechanism equipped with a detachable suction mechanism that can move not only on a flat surface but also on pipes and walls. We also fabricated a robot equipped with the leg mechanism, conducted walking experiments in various environments, and confirmed the usefulness of the leg mechanism based on the experimental results.