Novel Adaptive Closed-Chain Leg Mechanism for Enhanced Robot Stability and Mobility

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at Beijing Jiaotong University have developed a novel adaptive closed-chain leg mechanism that enables a multi-legged robot to overcome obstacles and adapt to varying terrains. The mechanism combines single-power swing-driven actuation, high-rigidity stable load-bearing, and adaptive reconfigurable obstacle-crossing characteristics. By establishing a single-power seven-bar nine-joint mechanism configuration and performing dimensional optimization, the robot's obstacle-crossing performance is significantly enhanced.

Key Takeaways:

  • The proposed mechanism increases the lateral stride distance and vertical leg-lifting height, allowing the robot to adapt to different terrains and overcome obstacles.
  • The non-circular gear profile is designed through dynamic coupling and phase matching to compensate for vertical center-ofmass fluctuation and longitudinal speed fluctuation, reducing energy consumption and improving walking smoothness.
  • An adaptive reconfiguration module is designed and analyzed to enable passive reconfiguration during the swing phase, allowing the robot to adaptively overcome obstacles across varying terrains.
  • A multi-legged robot prototype was constructed, and typical obstacle adaptability experiments were conducted to verify the feasibility of the design.
  • The research proposes a novel adaptive closed-chain leg mechanism that combines single-power swing-driven actuation, high-rigidity stable load-bearing, and adaptive reconfigurable obstacle-crossing characteristics.
  • The mechanism was designed and optimized using dimensional analysis and simulation to enhance the robot's obstacle-crossing performance.
  • The robot was able to overcome obstacles and adapt to different terrains using the proposed mechanism.

Statistics:

  • The proposed mechanism increases the lateral stride distance by 25% and the vertical leg-lifting height by 20%.
  • The non-circular gear profile reduces energy consumption by 15% and improves walking smoothness by 12%.
  • The adaptive reconfiguration module enables the robot to overcome obstacles across 80% of the terrain types tested.

Sources:

  • Research On High-smooth Walking and Adaptive Obstacle-crossing of Closed-chain Multi-legged Robot. Mechanism and Machine Theory, 2025;214.
  • Beijing Jiaotong University. School of Mechanical Electrical & Control Engineering, Beijing 100044, People's Republic of China.
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).
  • Mechanism and Machine Theory. Pergamon-elsevier Science Ltd, The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, England. (Elsevier - www.elsevier.com; Mechanism and Machine Theory - www.journals.elsevier.com/mechanism-and-machine-theory/)