@article {Bruzzone:2014:0143-991X:26,
title = "Mantis: hybrid leg-wheel ground mobile robot",
journal = "Industrial Robot: An International Journal",
parent_itemid = "infobike://mcb/049",
publishercode ="mcb",
year = "2014",
volume = "41",
number = "1",
publication date ="2014-01-14T00:00:00",
pages = "26-36",
itemtype = "ARTICLE",
issn = "0143-991X",
url = "https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/mcb/049/2014/00000041/00000001/art00004",
doi = "doi:10.1108/IR-02-2013-330",
keyword = "Hybrid locomotion, Mobile robotics, Surveillance",
author = "Bruzzone, Luca and Fanghella, Pietro",
abstract = "
Purpose The aim of the research is the development of a small-scale ground mobile robot for surveillance and inspection; the main design goals are mobility in indoor environments with step climbing ability, pivoting around a vertical axis and without oscillations for
stable vision, mobility in unstructured environments, low mechanical and control complexity. Design/methodology/approach The proposed hybrid leg-wheel robot is characterized by a main body equipped with two actuated wheels and two praying Mantis rotating legs; a rear frame
with two idle wheels is connected to the main body by a vertical revolute joint for steering; a second revolute joint allows the rear axle to roll. The geometrical synthesis of the robot has been performed using a nondimensional approach for generality's sake. Findings The
experimental campaign on the first prototype confirms the fulfilment of the design objectives; the robot can efficiently walk in unstructured environments realizing a mixed wheeled-legged locomotion. Practical implications Thanks to the operative flexibility of Mantis in indoor
and outdoor environments, the range of potential applications is wide: surveillance, inspection, monitoring of dangerous locations, intervention in case of terroristic attacks, military tasks. Originality/value Different from other robots of similar size, Mantis combines high
speed and energetic efficiency, stable vision, capability of climbing over high steps, obstacles and unevenness.",
}