Walking Robot IV.
An improved version of my "solar-powered four-legged all-terrain walking robot" can walk using four legs. Fasters and better movements. No RCX, no NTX or sensors used, Just gears, one motor and solar power. (11/30/2007)
The problems that I had with my
previous walking robot
was solved with this new version. It stills using four legs but the main difference is the rear legs.
Basically, the fronts legs pulls the "body" on each step. The front big gear rotates at the opposite direction of the rear front gear, so the rear legs provides traction and pushes the "body", on this way it can be able to move on any terrain.
The rears legs doesn't have a circular movement, it just makes an "almost linear" movement like skiing (You know, when people skies they pushes themselves). It makes less erratic movimients and performs better.
The legs movement basically are: Front right leg up and advancing, front left down and pulling, rear right leg down and pushing, rear left leg up and advancing.
Most of the weight should be closer to the rear legs to allow the front legs to lift and do each step. Even if there is a slope an the front leg can't be lifted, it will advance because the weight is handled by the rear legs.
Something interesting that I saw is, when advancing forward, the front legs are lifted while advancing. When operating it in reverse, the back legs are lifted, not the front ones.
Using different gears at the motor area, it can walk faster or be stronger. Using batteries to power this robot may need a different mechanism to avoid damaging the gears.
This configuration of legs needs less power than the previous version and the performance is much better.
It's a lot of fun watching this "walking robot" in action. Maybe doing some adjustments and making it bigger the USA army can use it to transport supplies to the troops. The only difference is: they pay millions of dollar for that kind of projects and I only make "cheap working things"
I hope you enjoy it as much I did.
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