Bounding with Active Wheels and Liftoff Angle Velocity Adjustment

The bounding gait for the Platform for Ambulating Wheels (PAW), a new and unique hybrid wheeled-leg system is presented here. Two hypotheses are tested and discussed: first, that the robot’s forward speed can be increased by increasing the leg liftoff angles and, second, that addition of distally-mounted actuated wheels can be used in running gaits such as the bound. Both hypotheses were tested experimentally and found to be valid.