HeterBot: A heterogeneous mobile manipulation robot for versatile operation

This study presents the overall architecture of HeterBot, a heterogeneous mobile manipulation robot developed in our lab, which is designed for versatile operation in hazardous environments. The most significant feature of HeterBot is the heterogeneous design created by adopting the idea of ‘big arm + small arm’ and ‘big car + mini car’. This combination has the advantage of functional complementation, which achieves performance promotion in both locomotion and manipulation capabilities, making HeterBot distinguished from other mobile manipulation robots. Besides, multiple novel technologies are integrated into HeterBot to expand its versatility and ease of use, including Virtual Robot Experimentation Platform-based teleoperation, reconfigurable end effectors, laser-aided grasping, and manipulation with customised tools. Experimental results validate the effectiveness of HeterBot in various locomotion and manipulation tasks. HeterBot displays huge potential in future applications, such as searching and rescue.