Wheeled jumping robot by power modulation using twisted string lever mechanism

This study introduces a wheeled robot platform with jumping ability. To realize jump movement, a twisted string lever mechanism is used, which is characterized by its compactness and variable gear ratio. Based on robot modeling and parameter calculation, the twisted string actuator shows its advantage when applied to situations such as jumping of robots, where explosiveness of output force matters. In this study, a wheeled bipedal robot equipped with the twisted string actuator is designed and fabricated. It weighs 16.0 kg and can perform jumps when it encounters obstacles. The prototype can jump up to a stage with a maximum height of 1.0 m using electric power, which is approximately 1.5 times the height of its stretched legs.