Mobile rolling robots designed to overcome obstacles: A review

Abstract

Ground mobile robots operating in outdoor environments face multiple challenges, being overcoming obstacles on uneven terrain a prominent one. This challenging task has been addressed by numerous researchers who have developed robots employing various strategies, all aimed at efficiently overcoming increasingly higher obstacles. This article describes 108 robots designed for this purpose, incorporating the principle of rolling for locomotion and obstacle overcoming. These robots have been categorized into six major groups based on their operating principle and strategy for overcoming obstacles. After conducting a meticulous review and comparison, it has been determined that both the definition of the strategy robot will use to overcome an obstacle and the optimized robot design from the early stages of its development through clearly established requirements are the elements that hold the greatest significance in enabling a mobile robot to efficiently overcome an obstacle. In this regard, specific requirements and parameters have been identified that must be considered in the design of the robot to fulfill its purpose. Among these, key considerations include dimensional optimization, robustness, adaptability, energy efficiency, sensory capability, and appropriate navigability.