All Terrain Exploration with the Cliff-bot System

Abstract

The Cliff-bot system consists of three individual planetary rovers that work as a team to explore the surface of a cliff. Two of the rovers, designated “Anchor-bots”, assist the motion of a third rappelling “Cliff-bot” down and along a cliff face using tethers. A decentralized control technique is used to control the motion of the three rovers. The objective of this study is to develop several control algorithms that will create a robust and reliable Cliff-bot system. Control is accomplished by combining and prioritizing several different control algorithms into a hybrid deliberative-reactive control structure. Many different algorithms have been successfully developed and tested to provide the Cliff-bot system with stable and robust navigation of terrain slopes of at least 70 degrees.