#star-wheel

[stevebattle]

Terrastar by Robert Forsyth, and John Forsyth (1967), Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, CA. This unusual vehicle uses star-wheels to achieve efficient locomotion on roads (up to 40 kph), where only the eight wheels in contact with the ground are used for driving, and on marshy or swampy terrain where it can switch to a 'walking' style of locomotion. It's even able to operate as an amphibious vehicle, where the star-wheels provide 'paddle wheel' propulsion (up to 7 kph). After extensive testing by the US Army, none were purchased.

[stevebattle]

SpaceCat by Michel Lauria, Roland Siegwart, François Conti, and Pierre-Alain Mäusli (1998), Autonomous Systems Lab, Swiss Federal Institute for Technology, Lausanne. The European Space Agency (ESA) is seeking micro–rover designs for future missions to Mars, able to explore the environment around the lander. The SpaceCat micro-rover uses a hybrid approach to locomotion; its star-wheels comprise three independently driven wheels in a triangular arrangement. These will trundle efficiently across flat surfaces, and are able to surmount small rocky obstacles as the whole wheel set rotates. Its centre of gravity is also adjustable, allowing it to lean into a climb, or rebalance itself. Even after tumbling over, the robot is always able to get back on its wheels.

[stevebattle]

Tri-Star-Wheel Robot (2018) demonstrated at 'Crossing Obstacles 2018’, Land Unmanned System Challenge, Beijing, China. The 'Crossing Obstacles 2018’ competition involved 136 participating teams, including 14 military and civilian colleges and universities, 26 private companies, 10 state-owned companies, and 11 research institutes. Unlike the 1967 Terrastar with skid steering, this impressive entrant, a Tri-Star-Wheel robot, uses Ackermann steering like a regular car. The photo is from the CCTV "Military Science and Technology" channel.

[stevebattle]

Tri-Wheel (2015) by Roger Quinn (Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH), Lauren Smith, Kyle Johnson, and William Tuck. The Cleveland fire department are interested in robots that could transport HazMat (Hazardous Materials) sensors into a building, to test the air for dangerous chemicals prior to entry by first responders. It must be able to move rapidly on level ground, and should also have the ability to navigate rough terrain and stairs. The Tri-Wheel is a three-wheeled drive mechanism capable of two modes: Driving Mode and Tumbling Mode. The robot will eventually have four of these tri-wheels, as shown in the computer graphic. There’s no need for it to anticipate obstacles in advance, when the leading wheel hits an object the tumbling mode kicks in, enabling passive climbing.