Multi-modal locomotion (e.g. terrestrial, aerial, and aquatic) is gaining increasing interest in robotics research as it improves the robots environmental adaptability, locomotion versatility, and operational flexibility. Within the terrestrial multiple locomotion robots, the advantage of hybrid robots stems from their multiple (two or more) locomotion modes, among which robots can select from depending on the encountering terrain conditions. However, there are many challenges in improving the autonomy of the locomotion mode transition between their multiple locomotion modes. This work proposed a method to realize an autonomous locomotion mode transition of a track-legged quadruped robot steps negotiation. The autonomy of the decision-making process was realized by the proposed criterion to comparing energy performances of the rolling and walking locomotion modes. Two climbing gaits were proposed to achieve smooth steps negotiation behaviours for energy evaluation purposes. Simulations showed autonomous locomotion mode transitions were realized for negotiations of steps with different height. The proposed method is generic enough to be utilized to other hybrid robots after some pre-studies of their locomotion energy performances.

翻译：多模式运动（例如陆地、空中和水下）在机器人研究中日益受到关注，因为它提高了机器人的环境适应性、运动多功能性和操作灵活性。在陆地多运动模式机器人中，混合机器人的优势源于其多种（两种或更多）运动模式，机器人可以根据遇到的地形条件从中选择。然而，在其多种运动模式之间的自主过渡方面仍面临诸多挑战。本研究提出了一种方法，用于实现带履带腿的四足机器人在越障台阶时的自主运动模式过渡。通过提出的判据比较滚动和步行运动模式的能量性能，实现了决策过程的自主性。为了进行能量评估，提出了两种爬行步态以实现平滑的台阶越障行为。仿真结果表明，对于不同高度的台阶，实现了自主运动模式过渡。所提出的方法具有足够的通用性，在经过对其运动能量性能的初步研究后，可应用于其他混合机器人。