Multi-legged modular robot and leg control method therefor

Multi-legged modular robot with a multifunctional end-effector and coupling interface

This technology is a control system for multi-legged modular robots that can be coupled or decoupled. It identifies idle legs when robots are connected and drives the hinge of the leg to selectively expose either a contact tip (for walking) or a gripper tip (for manipulation), allowing for variable functionality of the legs.

When multi-legged robots are combined into a swarm, the number of legs increases significantly; however, the inability to efficiently utilize idle legs limits the overall functional scalability of the robot.

This technology stores information regarding the coupling interface and the overall structure of the combined robots in memory. It automatically detects idle legs based on the coupling state and uses a control algorithm to drive the hinge of the multifunctional end-effector, selectively exposing either the gripper tip or the contact tip to switch between manipulation and walking functions.

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Key Features:

• A first leg unit consisting of a first main body and first through fourth legs that support the load by contacting the ground
• A first coupling interface for connecting with a second multi-legged modular robot, a first coupling unit, and a first mechanical drive unit that controls the coupling and leg operations
• Multiple joints coupled between connecting rod sections that adjust the position of the multifunctional end-effector to perform either walking or manipulation functions
• A multifunctional end-effector comprising a tip section with a contact tip at one end and a gripper tip at the other, along with an external housing case

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