Innovative Design and Simulation of a Transformable Robot with Flexibility and Versatility, RHex-T3

This paper presents a transformable RHex-inspired robot, RHex-T3, with high energy efficiency, excellent flexibility and versatility. By using the innovative 2-DoF transformable structure, RHex-T3 inherits most of RHex’s mobility, and can also switch to other 4 modes for handling various missions. The wheel-mode improves the efficiency of RHex-T3, and the leg-mode helps to generate a smooth locomotion when RHex-T3 is overcoming obstacles. In addition, RHex-T3 can switch to the claw-mode for transportation missions, and even climb ladders by using the hook-mode. The simulation model is conducted based on the mechanical structure, and thus the properties in different modes are verified and analyzed through numerical simulations.