The potential of Martian lava tubes for resource extraction and habitat sheltering highlights the need for robots capable to undertake the grueling task of their exploration. Driven by this motivation, in this work we introduce a legged robot system optimized for jumping in the low gravity of Mars, designed with leg configurations adaptable to both bipedal and quadrupedal systems. This design utilizes torque-controlled actuators coupled with springs for high-power jumping, robust locomotion, and an energy-efficient resting pose. Key design features include a 5-bar mechanism as leg concept, combined with springs connected by a high-strength cord. The selected 5-bar link lengths and spring stiffness were optimized for maximizing the jump height in Martian gravity and realized as a robot leg. Two such legs combined with a compact body allowed jump testing of a bipedal prototype. The robot is 0.472 m tall and weighs 7.9 kg. Jump testing with significant safety margins resulted in a measured jump height of 1.141 m in Earth's gravity, while a total of 4 jumping experiments are presented. Simulations utilizing the full motor torque and kinematic limits of the design resulted in a maximum possible jump height of 1.52 m in Earth's gravity and 3.63 m in Mars' gravity, highlighting the versatility of jumping as a form of locomotion and overcoming obstacles in lower gravity.

翻译：火星熔岩管在资源开采和庇护所方面具有巨大潜力，这要求开发能够承担其严苛探索任务的机器人。基于这一动机，本文提出了一种针对火星低重力环境优化的腿式机器人系统，其腿部构型可适应双足和四足系统。该设计采用扭矩控制执行器与弹簧耦合，实现高功率跳跃、稳健运动以及节能静止姿态。关键设计特征包括采用五杆机构作为腿部概念，并结合高强度绳索连接的弹簧。所选五杆杆长和弹簧刚度经优化以最大化火星重力下的跳跃高度，并实际制作成机器人腿部。两个这样的腿部与紧凑机身组合，使双足原型机能够进行跳跃测试。该机器人高0.472米，重7.9千克。在显著安全裕度下的跳跃测试中，测得地球重力下的跳跃高度为1.141米，并给出了总计4次跳跃实验。利用设计的全电机扭矩和运动学限制进行的仿真表明，在地球重力下最大可实现1.52米跳跃高度，在火星重力下可达3.63米，凸显了跳跃作为一种低重力环境下运动与障碍克服方式的多样性。