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Multibody Model for the Design of a Rover for Agricultural Applications: A Preliminary Study. MACHINES 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/machines10040235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The employment of vehicles such as rovers equipped with automictic and robotic systems in agriculture is an emerging field. The development of suitable simulation models can aid in the design and testing of agricultural rovers before prototyping. Here, we propose a simulation test rig based on a multibody model to investigate the main issues connected with agricultural rover designs. The results of the simulations show significant differences between the two structures, especially regarding the energy savings, which is a key aspect for the applicability of a rover in field operations. The modular structure of the proposed simulation model can be easily adapted to other vehicle structures.
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Negotiating Uneven Terrain by a Simple Teleoperated Tracked Vehicle with Internally Movable Center of Gravity. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/app12010525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
We propose a mechanical design for a simple teleoperated unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) to negotiate uneven terrain. UGVs are typically classified into legged, legged-wheeled, wheeled, and tanked forms. Legged vehicles can significantly shift their center of gravity (COG) by positioning their multi-articulated legs at appropriate trajectories, stepping over a high obstacle. To realize a COG movable mechanism with a small number of joints, a number of UGVs have been developed that can shift their COG by moving a mass at a high position above the body. However, these tend to pose a risk of overturning, and the mass must be moved quite far to climb a high step. To address these issues, we design a novel COG shift mechanism, in which the COG can be shifted forward and backward inside the body by moving most of its internal devices. Since this movable mass includes DC motors for driving both tracks, we can extend the range of the COG movement. We demonstrate that a conventional tracked vehicle prototype can traverse a step and a gap between two steps, as well as climb stairs and a steep slope, with a human operating the vehicle movement and the movable mass position.
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