A Wheel Mechanism Suitable for Moving over Uneven and Fragile Surfaces by Using Tensegrity Structure Including Axle Hub

Abstract

This research proposes a new wheel design for mobile machines running under bumpy, fragile, and steep slopes such as rocky areas, icy fields, and bumpy off-roads. The wheel is composed of a minimal Tensegrity structure with three rods and an axle hub, which is a part of the Tensegrity structure and passes rotational force onto the wheel. Tensegrity has many unique features, such as deforming as a rubber ball while contacting the external surface with its rigid rod's endpoints, which are helpful as a wheel. The proposed wheel is expected to perform better than the other wheels, such as rubber tyres and crawlers, by including the axle hub as a part of the Tensegrity. In this report, we explain the details of the proposed Tensegrity wheel. We also show the results of the experiments by using a four-wheel drive mini motorcar with the proposed wheels. We compared the wheel with a "wheg" similar to the proposed wheel except for having no tension and its rods fixed. The results show the Tensegrity wheels' high performance in climbing gravelled hills and steps.