"Deformable wheel" - A self-recovering modular rolling track

Abstract

The rolling track is an effective modular robot configuration with high maneuverability. However, one technical barrier that prevents it from practical usage is that most existing rolling track robots must start from a typical stand-up position and they are also difficult to turn while rolling. This paper presents a solution for these problems. By extending our previous work, we have developed a set of new gaits for the rolling track to self-standup, roll and turn. The combination of these behaviors on a single SuperBot rolling track has enabled it to roll from any initial conditions, steer while rolling, and recover from falling sideways. These new gaits have been demonstrated with 6 modules in hardware and 8 and 10 modules in simulation. In addition, the new gaits can be activated even reconfiguring from a snake configuration.