A wheel-legged robot chassis combines the features of wheels and legs to offer unique capabilities and advantages.
This type of chassis typically consists of a combination of wheels and articulated legs or limb-like structures. The wheels provide efficient movement on smooth and flat surfaces, allowing for high speeds and low energy consumption. The legs, on the other hand, come into play when the terrain becomes uneven, rough, or requires more complex maneuvers.
The design of the wheel-legged robot chassis can vary significantly. Some may have wheels that can be retracted or transformed to expose the legs for traversing challenging obstacles. Others might have legs that can act as additional support or stabilization when the wheels are in use.
For example, imagine a wheel-legged robot designed for search and rescue operations. On a paved road, it can use its wheels to quickly reach the destination. But when it encounters rubble or stairs, the legs can extend and enable it to climb over or navigate through the difficult terrain.
The complexity of the control systems for these chassis is relatively high as they need to manage the transitions between wheel-based and leg-based locomotion seamlessly. However, the potential applications of wheel-legged robots, such as in exploration, industrial inspection, and logistics, make the development of advanced chassis designs an area of active research and innovation.