Analysis and optimization of obstacle clearance of articulated rovers

The paper develops a method for analyzing and improving by control obstacle clearance capacities of articulated multi-wheeled rovers. On uneven ground surface, load and traction force distributions through the wheel/ground contact system are highly coupled. They are both conditioned by the global equilibrium of the mechanical system and the contact stability constraints. The optimal traction force distribution problem is formulated here as a convex optimization problem using Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs). Velocity and force transmissions in articulated multi-wheeled mobile robots are introduced under a generic form decomposed in task, joint and contact levels. A tyre-model is used for the evaluation of the robustness of the solution with respect to slippage phenomena. Simulation results show that the traction distribution forces which is so determined lead to a significant increase in obstacle clearance capacities compared to an usual velocity control technique.