Design and motion analysis of tetrahedral rolling robot

A novel robot mechanism-tetrahedral rolling robot is introduced in the paper. The robot comprises of six extension struts and four node flats. When the COG of tetrahedron exceeds the stability region, the robot will roll. The structure of the tetrahedral rolling robot is described. Designing method of the robot is given, and it is proved correct and feasible through experiment. Kinematic model in different motion phase is analyzed in the paper, and the rolling critical condition is formulated. The effectiveness of the method is testified through simulation. The study of the paper will provide important reference for the dynamic analysis, optimization design and control of the tetrahedral rolling robot.