Design of a Hexapod Robot

Abstract:
This paper introduces a new hexapod legged robot that can autonomously adapt to a variety of terrain; its wheel leg designs specially to make it have a good obstacle surmounting capacity. This robot uses the modularized design method, using the interrupt to detect the position of the wheel leg, PWM to control motor speed, Bus to control motor, gait program to control the robot motion, wireless data transmission to control the robot's gait, host computer to real-time monitor the robot status. The host computer or user handheld devices can regulate the state of the robot, at the same time the host computer can monitor the state of the robot. Finally, the principle demonstrator verifies the feasibility of the software design and hardware design method, thus ensuring the validity and reliability of the robot design.

Existing System:
There are many places cannot be reached by wheeled or crawler walking mechanism that are widely used now, but the multi-legged animals in these place move freely. Wheeled mechanisms used nowadays cannot move on irregular terrains.

Proposed System:
The hexapod robot has the control module and the robot body. The host computer and the handheld control device constitute the control module. The robot body has the moving mechanism and the control circuit. We can use the host computer or hand-held control device to complete controlling the moving of the robot. It can control the robot moving forward, moving backward and turning around. The robot has the six same eccentric legs. Each leg is drove by the same geared motor. The robot is controlled through Zigbee from remote PC. The robot is characterized by: the symmetric simple mechanical structure, high reliability, good stability, more obstacle surmounting capacity. The eccentric-type legs have more flexible than the traditional rod-shaped legs, more adaptable to the ground. It not only can move on the smooth hard surface but also can move on the grass, sand, and gravel ground.

Block Diagram:
Robot Section:

Power Supply

Motor Driver Micro Controller Motor Driver

Hexapod Robot

LCD

Control Unit:

Hardware Requirements:
Microcontroller with Power Supply Zigbee Transceiver LCD Motor Driver Hexapod Robot Mechanism

Software Requirements:
Embedded C Keil Compiler VB

Advantages:
This robots move even in the rough surface. simple mechanical structure, high reliability, good stability, more obstacle surmounting capacity