XRL is a lighter version of X-RHex, designed to be more agile while maintaining the same leg spacing as RHex, and features the same modular payload architecture to support a variety of research needs.
X-RHex Lite (XRL) is a design study in methods of utilizing the same laboratory on legs components as X-RHex, in a slightly different configuration to simplify fabrication, while minimizing weight. XRL is designed with near identical spatial dimensions as Research RHex, but is constructed via an interlocking design of flat aluminum pieces, all machined using a waterjet cutter, rather than CNC milling. Surrounding the robot’s frame is a complete shell of carbon fiber (similar to “Shelly-RHex” variant), serving both as a protective shell as well as a structural member, particularly for stiffening loads upon the cantilevered leg mounts. XRL, as a lighter weight cousin of X-RHex, uses only a single battery compartment, provides space for the same PC/104 control computer, and utilizes three electronics stacks (each controlling two motors), spaced evenly throughout the body, all mounted on the waterjet cut frame. Through the use of a USB bus as the common communication method within the robot, these changes in electronics are easily performed across robots. Additionally, XRL employs the same payload architecture as X-RHex, providing Picatinny rails to mount sensors and other payloads, with a variety of ports to both power and communicate (via USB) with payload systems.
Sponsors
- ARL Robotics CTA
- IC Postdoctoral Fellowship
- EPSRC New Investigator award and Andrew Spence
- Florida A&M University-Florida State University and Jonathan Clark
- Maxon Motor USA – Educational discount for motors
- Advanced Motion Controls – Educational discount and support for motor controllers
- University of Pennsylvania
XRL Design Publications
Laboratory on Legs: An Architecture for Adjustable Morphology with Legged Robots
G. C. Haynes, Jason Pusey, Ryan Knopf, Aaron M. Johnson, and D. E. Koditschek
Proceedings of the SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing Conference, Unmanned Systems Technology XIV (8387), April 2012. Full PDF
Other Publications Featuring XRL
Legged Self-Manipulation
Aaron M. Johnson and D. E. Koditschek
IEEE Access, Vol. 1, May, 2013. Full PDF
Toward a Vocabulary of Legged Leaping
Aaron M. Johnson and D. E. Koditschek
Proceedings of the 2013 IEEE Intl. Conference on Robotics and Automation, May, 2013. Full PDF
Terrain Identification for RHex-type Robots
Camilo Ordonez, Jacob Shill, Aaron M. Johnson, Jonathan Clark, and Emmanuel G. Collins
Proceedings of the SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing Conference, Unmanned Systems Technology XV (8741), May, 2013. Full PDF
Parametric Jumping Dataset on the RHex Robot
Aaron M. Johnson and D. E. Koditschek
University of Pennsylvania Technical Report
Tail Assisted Dynamic Self Righting
Aaron M. Johnson, Thomas Libby, Evan Chang-Siu, Masayoshi Tomizuka, Robert J. Full and D. E. Koditschek
Proceedings of the International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots, July, 2012. Full PDF
Power Modeling of the XRL Hexapedal Robot and its Application to Energy Efficient Motion Planning
C. Ordonez, N. Gupta, E. G. Collins, J. Clark, and Aaron M. Johnson
Proceedings of the International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots, July, 2012. Full PDF
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