Following on from our recent discussion vehicle mobility this is a video mini-series looking at how vehicle designers approach the need for mobility. The need for extreme mobility in adverse conditions has delivered some extremely interesting solutions that go beyond the traditional wheels v tracks debate.
It is generally accepted that for serious mobility, especially where low surface compaction or high tractive force is needed, tracks are superior to wheels. Another generally accepted fact is that tracks have higher running costs, create more vibration, are noisier and have higher fuel consumption.
Various FRES studies seemed to draw the same conclusions and there are some interesting (although quite old) research papers on the web;
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/docs/2wheels98.pdf
http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=AD0744222
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/eng8171
But, there are a number of technologies and designs that have and are chipping away at these assumptions, wheels and track technology does not stand still.
We all know about the Supacat ATMP and BAE BVs10 Viking but these are the more unusual and mostly civilian solutions.
If these don’t wet your appetite then head over to Unusual Locomotion
Legs
Plustech/Timberjack Walker
Big Dog
https://www.bostondynamics.com/robot_bigdog.html
Though I am a big fan of Big Dog they should have gone with six legs not four.
Does this mean that we may one day have an AT-AT? ;-)
Spider-Dog, Spider-dog. [Homer, spider-pig]
meant to be more economical and energy efficient then 4 or 2 legs
@Alan dum-dum-dum-DUM-Da-Dum, would be fun. But not as tall, or be hit easily it will.
Sorry, couldn’t resist.
@ Alan
We do have a version of the Weaponised Phil Platfrom with legs. Well once I have the mock-up done and put on the website. Oh! That will be £50million please.
@ RLC
See what you did I there. :)
@x
I prescribe fresh air.
@x
A weaponised Phil with legs for £50m…if you throw in weaponised dyslexia and gobbledigook counter measures we’ll go to £120m for the first tranche.
;-)
Trache 2 is when they reduce the number of legs to 2? And he becomes capable of bombing runs?
@ Phil
I had already been outside for 4 hours when I posted that. Miserable little bear aren’t we today?
Maybe someone pissed in my cornflakes.
Bears eat cornflakes?
Alan, re: AT-AT, I preferred the look of the smaller ‘chicken’ version they had in the forest. A quick Google search and Wikipedia assures me its called an AT-ST (All Terrain Scout Transport).
As for robot legs on the battlefield, I’m wondering why we haven’t already trialled a combat version of Asimo. Not the cheapest version of recce using a real-time camera feed, but the humanoid shape could force an enemy to reveal his position with minimum risk of casualties.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asimo
(To paraphrase HG): No one would have beleived, in the first years of the 21st Century, that any intelligent life existed on Mars . . .
da-da-da-DUMMMMM, de-dede-de-dede . . .
uuuulaaaa! uuuulaaa! etc. etc.
X-D
BigDog now has a two-legged cousin called Pet-Proto. It’s really quite spooky watching him navigate round a hole in the ground :
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2012/10/darpa-rescue-robot/