Obstacle Performance Analysis of Mine Research Robot Based on Terramechanics

A tracked robot is designed for mine research and rescue. The robot is introduced from mechanism, hardware system to software system. As an outdoor all-terrain research and rescue robot, it should have some special designs, such as reconfigurable structure, suspension system and anti-explosive and waterproof. Two pairs of swing arms are equipped in the front and the rear of the robot. Their motions improve robot´s obstacle performance. The sensors equipped on the robot consist of CCD cameras, CO, CH4, temperature and air speed. Because the robot runs in a destroyed mine, the common methods of obstacle performance analysis do not fit the robot in this unstructured environment. The gravity center of robot and the type of terrain play a very important role in the obstacle performance analysis, so the effect of CG position is discussed, and the interaction between robot and terrain are analyzed based on terramechanics. These results are valuable to design and control the robot.