Structure parameter optimization of a variable geometry tracked robot for structured environment

This paper presents an optimization design method of a variable geometry tracked robot for structured environment. The types and sizes of the obstacles in the structured environment are known. Based on the kinematics analysis of climbing stairs, surmounting pipelines and crossing gullies, the performance functions which display the relationship between structure parameters of the robot and the sizes of obstacles are obtained. Then according to the requirements of overcoming the obstacles in the structured environment, the performance functions are turned into the objective functions, and the goal programming model is obtained. Furthermore, considering the nonlinearity of the model, the pattern search method is applied to obtain the optimization result. Finally, a dynamics simulation platform is set up to verify the performance of the robot, and the feasibility of the parameter optimization method of the robot designed for structured environment is proved.