LOW COST HIGH EFFICIENCY WALKING ROBOTIC VEHICLE (WRV) DESIGN

AT PRESENT THE PROBLEMS OF OBTAINING A LOW COST, HIGH EFFICIENCY LEGGED VEHICLE ARE HAMPERING THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRULY MOBIL, INTELLIGENT ROBOTS, CAPABLE OF LOCOMOTION SIMILAR TO OR SURPASSING THAT OF HUMANS. THESE ROBOTS COULD IDEALLY BE SUITED FOR USE IN AN ENVIRONMENT TOO HAZARDOUS FOR HUMANS, SUCH AS REACTOR CAVITIES IN THE NUCLEAR PLANTS WHERE LEVEL OF BACKGROUND RADIATION IS EXTREMELY HIGH OR IN THE VARIOUS SECURITY SYSTEMS. ANOTHER VERY IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT MOBILITY ISSUES ARE OF FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE FOR FUTURE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) AND ROBOTICS IN GENERAL. THIS PROGRAM, IN PHASE I, WILL ESTABLISH SPECIFIC DESIGN PARAMETERS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF A LOW COST, HIGH EFFICIENCY AND HIGH POWER-TOWEIGHT RATIO WALKING VEHICLE WITH LEG'S GEOMETRY BASED UPON THE MODIFIED PEAUCELLIER'S MECHANISM. PHASE II WILL INCLUDE THE DETAILED DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND TESTING OF A GENERAL PURPOSE WALKING ROBOTIC VEHICLE (WRV).