Title: Suspension and wheel evaluation and experimentation testbed for planetary rovers

Authors: Daniel Flippo, David Miller

Addresses: Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, 865 Asp Ave. Norman, OK 73072, USA. ' Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, 865 Asp Ave. Norman, OK 73072, USA

Abstract: This paper describes a robotic test bed that simulates a larger number of vehicle scenarios and enables better results from single wheel testing. The suspension and wheel evaluation and experimentation testbed (SWEET) is designed to evaluate and measure wheel to soil (or other media) interaction and performance. SWEET can measure wheels in true turns, on slopes, and also simulate dragging force and assisted force from other wheels. SWEET provides an efficient platform for a better understanding of wheel to soil interactions, without added expense of an extensive full rover testing programme.

Keywords: planetary rovers; wheel to soil interaction; testing; apparatus; suspension evaluation; experimentation; testbed; omni wheel; robotic vehicles; mobile robots; wheel evaluation; dragging force; assisted force.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMA.2011.039153

International Journal of Mechatronics and Automation, 2011 Vol.1 No.1, pp.29 - 37

Published online: 26 Mar 2015 *

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