Centre-of-gravity control for a Mars Rover chassis with multiple degrees of freedom.
Published: 2006
Language: eng
Number of pages: 85
ISBN-13: 9780494210161
Subjects: Roving vehicles (Astronautics) -- Automatic control.
Description: The CoG controller presented here is particularly effective for step climbing rovers whose wheels all maintain contact with the ground at all times.Implementing the CoG controller in simulation showed dramatic improvements in step-climbing ability. The CoG controller was able to increase the height of obstacle surmountable from hard ground by a factor of 2 to 3 (to heights as much as 30 cm), and increase the height surmountable from soil by 30% to 40%. To improve step-climbing results on soil further, traction control would be needed in addition to the CoG controller.This work presents a centre-of-gravity (CoG) controller which aims to increase rover mobility over step obstacles.The controller is based on a new concept presented here, the Contact-Angle Adjusted Support Pattern (or CAASP). The CAASP utilizes wheel-ground contact angles to place the CoG such that weight acting on wheels encountering difficult local terrain is reduced.
Notes: Source: Masters Abstracts International, Volume: 45-03, page: 1549.

Thesis (M.A.Sc.)--University of Toronto, 2006.

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