Three Legged, Three Legged Robot

Three legged robots are not very common, especially since they have no biological counterparts. However, researchers at Virginia Tech’s RoMeLa lab have developed a three legged robot STriDER that uses a “revolutionary” passive dynamic walking technique.

STriDER is short for Self-excited Tripedal Dynamic Experimental Robot. STriDER sways until it can lift one leg, and using the other two as an A-frame, swing it in between the other two “stance” legs moving forward at a sixty degree angle. This patent pending “tripedal gait” is extremely energy efficient and requires minimal control. It also allows STriDER to easily change directions by changing the sequence of its steps.

The use of a tripod operating robots in uneven area offers many advantages compared to wheeled robots. They are distinctive in their ability to:

• Adapt their body to terrain abnormalities
• Control and normalize their stability
• Evade unwanted grips
• Achieve energy efficiency (by economizing energy)

The development of legged robots in the past years has in most cases been based upon the observation of biological examples in nature e.g. insects, horses or humans. Hence, the formation of the legs took the order of an even number of legs symmetrically positioned to the longitudinal axis of the robot. In this project we refer to the idea of an unorthodox configuration with three legs robots which in each case are equipped with a spring-attenuation-system. Such a robot should fulfill diverse assignments apart from the main legged operating functions. Running, skipping, climbing, excavating etc. are likely additional assignments to be carried out. In resting status, the robot is able to stand statically stable without a complex regulator. A manipulator has been situated on its own drilling platform in order to access taking up and putting down articles.
Designs for suitable configuration have already been suggested, and their dynamic characteristics have been analyzed. The principle purpose of this project is to present a platform for diverse applications. The picture shows a possible configuration with the order of the three legs symmetrically positioned to the center of the platform