This paper presents a kinematics modeling and hybrid motion planning framework for wheeled-legged rovers. It is a unified solution for wheeled-legged rovers to traverse multiple challenging terrains using hybrid locomotion. A kinematic model is first established to describe the rover’s motions. Then, a hybrid motion planning framework is proposed to determine the rover’s gait patterns and parameterize the legs’ and the body’s trajectories. Furthermore, an optimization algorithm based on B-spline is utilized to minimize the motors’ energy dissipation and generate smooth trajectories. The wheeled and legged hybridization allows the rover for faster locomotion while maintaining high stability. Besides, it also improves the rover’s ability to overcome obstacles. Prototype experiments are carried out in more complex environments to verify the rover’s flexibility and maneuverability to traverse irregular terrains. The proposed algorithm reduces the swing amplitude by 83.3% compared to purely legged locomotion.

Identification of inertia constants and joint frictions of a robot manipulator is achieved in situ, without dismantling operations, by means of specific test motions. The necessary estimation of actuating torques is carried out by measuring, with Hall effect transducers, the current absorbed by the motors which power the system. This identification is accomplished by using a precise methodological order adapted to a planar SCARA type manipulator with two degrees of freedom. The identification of friction laws underscores a hysteresis phenomenon of the dissipative torques. This indicates that friction doesn't result from a simple superposition of a dry friction law and a viscous damping law. The identification results were applied with success to implementation of optimized trajectories computed on the basis of a dynamic criterion. The effective minimization of the performance criterion along the optimized trajectories, according to the corresponding standard trajectories, was verified experimentally by evaluating the motor work and actuator torques.

The paper is aimed at generating optimal swing motions during the single-support phase of sagittal gait. Unlike the previous Part 1 which deals with passive motions, all joints of the biped are assumed to be active in the present Part 2. The final conditions specify an impactless heel-touch in order to avoid a destabilizing effect on the biped motion. As the biped is essentially submitted to gravity forces, the motion is generated by minimizing the joint actuating torques. Feasible motions are defined by state inequality constraints limiting joint motions, and defining foot clearance and obstacle avoidance during the swing. The optimization problem is dealt with using Pontryagin's Maximum Principle. A final two-point boundary value problem is solved by implementing a shooting method. The approach presented is illustrated by various numerical simulations applying to a seven-body planar biped which has four or five active joints during the swing phase.

A path planning method is presented based on non-autonomous dynamicmodeling of open-loops in articulated systems. It is assumed that one part ofthe mechanical system is submitted to specified motions laws, while movements ofthe complementary part are free. Thus, motion optimization is related to freejoint movements but it is achieved on the basis of the dynamic model of thewhole mechanical system. This approach introduces a non-autonomous stateequation of a special type in the sense that it can not only depend on therunning time but also on the unknown travelling time. The cost function to beminimized involves the travelling time and the actuating inputs. Optimization isachieved by applying the Pontryagin Maximum Principle which yields a newoptimality condition concerning the travelling time dependency of the statedproblem. Two simulation examples are presented. The first one shows how thedeveloped technique makes possible both the reducing and mastering the dynamiccomplexity of a four degrees of freedom-vertical manipulator. Set at fourdegrees of freedom, the second one deals with a redundant planar manipulatorcharacterized by a mobile base that is submitted to a specified drivingmotion.