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Multi-Modal Locomotion Robotic Platform Using Leg-Track-Wheel Articulations

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Abstract

Other than from its sensing and processing capabilities, a mobile robotic platform can be limited in its use by its ability to move in the environment. Legs, tracks and wheels are all efficient means of ground locomotion that are most suitable in different situations. Legs allow to climb over obstacles and change the height of the robot, modifying its viewpoint of the world. Tracks are efficient on uneven terrains or on soft surfaces (snow, mud, etc.), while wheels are optimal on flat surfaces. Our objective is to work on a new concept capable of combining different locomotion mechanisms to increase the locomotion capabilities of the robotic platform. The design we came up with, called AZIMUT, is symmetrical and is made of four independent leg-track-wheel articulations. It can move with its articulations up, down or straight, allowing the robot to deal with three-dimensional environments. AZIMUT is also capable of moving sideways without changing its orientation, making it omnidirectional. By putting sensors on these articulations, the robot can also actively perceive its environment by changing the orientation of its articulations. Designing a robot with such capabilities requires addressing difficult design compromises, with measurable impacts seen only after integrating all of the components together. Modularity at the structural, hardware and embedded software levels, all considered concurrently in an iterative design process, reveals to be key in the design of sophisticated mobile robotic platforms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. LABORIUS-Research Laboratory on Mobile Robotics and Intelligent Systems, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada, J1K 2R1

    François Michaud, Dominic Létourneau, Martin Arsenault, Yann Bergeron, Richard Cadrin, Frédéric Gagnon, Marc-Antoine Legault, Mathieu Millette, Jean-François Paré, Marie-Christine Tremblay, Pierre Lepage, Yan Morin, Jonathan Bisson & Serge Caron

Authors
  1. François Michaud
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  2. Dominic Létourneau
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  3. Martin Arsenault
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  4. Yann Bergeron
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  5. Richard Cadrin
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  6. Frédéric Gagnon
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  7. Marc-Antoine Legault
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  8. Mathieu Millette
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  9. Jean-François Paré
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  10. Marie-Christine Tremblay
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  11. Pierre Lepage
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  12. Yan Morin
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  13. Jonathan Bisson
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  14. Serge Caron
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to François Michaud.

Additional information

This research is supported financially by the Canada Research Chair (CRC) program, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), the Canadian Foundation for Innovation (CFI) and the Faculty of Engineering of the Université de Sherbrooke. Patent pending.

François Michaud is the Canada Research Chairholder in Autonomous Mobile Robots and Intelligent Systems, and an Associate Professor at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering of the Université de Sherbrooke. He is the principal investigator of LABORIUS, a research laboratory working on applying AI methodologies in the design of intelligent autonomous systems that can assist humans in everyday lives. His research interests are architectural methodologies for intelligent decision making, autonomous mobile robotics, social robotics, robot learning and intelligent systems. He received his bachelors degree, Masters degree and Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke. He is a member of IEEE, AAAI and OIQ (Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec).

Dominic Létourneau has a Bachelor degree in Computer Engineering and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke. Since 2001, he is a research engineer at the LABORIUS Mobile Robotics and Intelligent Systems Laboratory. His research interests cover combination of systems and intelligent capabilities to increase the usability of autonomous mobile robots in the real world. His expertise lies in artificial vision, mobile robotics, robot programming and integrated design. He is a member of OIQ (Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec).

Martin Arsenault has a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering and from the Université de Sherbrooke. For AZIMUT, he developed the Direction subsystem.

Yann Bergeron is a Mechanical Junior Engineer working in a consulting engineering firm, Groupe HBA. His field of activity is most oriented in industrial projects and construction. He received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University de Sherbrooke. For AZIMUT, he worked on the Track-Wheel subsystem. He is a member of OIQ (Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec) and JECQ (Jeunes entrepreneurs du Centre-du-Québec).

Richard Cadrin has a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke. For AZIMUT, he worked on the Propulstion subsystem.

Frédéric Gagnon has a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering and from the Université de Sherbrooke. For AZIMUT, he designed the chassis and worked on the integration of the articulations, the bodywork and the hardware. He is currently a research engineer at LABORIUS, working on AZIMUT’s second prototype and other robotic projects. He also contributes in a mobile robotic.

Marc-Antoine Legault has a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke, and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at LABORIUS on serial-elastic actuators. He worked on AZIMUT’s Propulsion subsystem. He also works on the design of other mobile robotic platforms. He is a member of OIQ (Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec).

Mathieu Millette has a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke. For AZIMUT, he developed the Tensor subsystem and he designed and integrated the battery support inside the chassis. He is now working as a junior mechanical engineer in process and technical development in a third sector mill.

Jean-François Paré graduated in Mechanical Engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke. He is also trained as a professional coach from R.I.C.K. (Réseau International de Coaching Kokopelli). He launched is own business in individual coaching, team coaching, team building and coaching workshops. For businesses and individuals, he assists people in reaching their well-being and efficiency and to manifest their leadership.

Marie-Christine Tremblay has obtained a Bachelor degree in Mechanical Engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke. As a part of the AZIMUTõs team, she contributed the Track-Wheel subsystem and developed a new track with high adherence and wear resistance to climb stairs. She is working in the Engineering Department at Hydra-Fab Industriel, a company conceiving electro-hydraulic systems for high speed trains.

Pierre Lepage has a Computer Engineering degree from the Université de Sherbrooke. For AZIMUT, he designed the user interface to control the robot and the propulsion system. He is currently a research engineer at LABORIUS, working on AZIMUT’s second prototype and other robotic projects. He is involved in research projects on coordinated behavior of a group of mobile robots. He is also actively involved in a mobile robotic startup.

Yan Morin has an Electrical Engineering degree from the Université de Sherbrooke. For AZIMUT, he designed the electrical interface to control the motors of the robot. He is currently a research engineer at LABORIUS, working on AZIMUT’s second prototype and other robotic projects. He is also actively involved in a mobile robotic startup.

Jonathan Bisson has a Bachelor degree in Computer Engineering and a Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering from the Université de Sherbrooke. His contribution to AZIMUT was on the modular distributed computing architecture. His expertise lies in electronics, motor control, embedded systems and ultrasonic transducers.

Serge Caron is technician in computer systems at the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering of the Universitž de Sherbrooke. His interests are in designing mobile robotic platforms, from four-legged to wheeled robots. He is also a writer for hobbyist robotic journals.

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Michaud, F., Létourneau, D., Arsenault, M. et al. Multi-Modal Locomotion Robotic Platform Using Leg-Track-Wheel Articulations. Auton Robot 18, 137–156 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10514-005-0722-1

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