A Versatile Apparatus and Method for Remote Autonomous Robot Mobility

In Phase I, we explored and developed a concept for a versatile and robust locomotion methodology based on snake and worm morphologies. These creatures have evolved versatile techniques for mobility that can be mimicked by robots operating in complex unknown workspaces such as in rough debris fields or in diverse media such as water, sand, slush, or ice, as may be found on Mars or Europa. While we found a significant amount of prior research in related areas, it was confined to laboratory experiments in relatively benign environments, and none exhibited the ability of a mechanism to transition from one environment to another. For commonality of parts, our concept uses a single module design based on a three degree-of-freedom parallel kinematic linkage that is connected in series. The modules monitor their own specific orientations, which are then summed by a central processor. The vehicle's protective skin is one of the critical areas of innovation because it must resist abrasion and corrosion, yet be flexible and elastic. In Phase II, we will construct a working prototype, and conduct a series of experiments, both on the test bench and in the field, toward developing algorithms for locomotion.