Performance comparison of rough-terrain robots - Simulation and hardware

The design of a rover for a specific environment is a complex procedure which requires modeling a chassis and evaluating it with specific criteria. This is the aim of the performance optimization tool (POT) presented in this paper. The POT enables the comparison and optimization of a rover chassis in a quick and efficient way. The tool is based on a static approach including optimization of the wheel torques in order to maximize traction. Tests with real hardware were performed to validate the POT. Two different rovers, CRAB and RCL-E, were assessed in simulation and hardware with respect to specific, well defined metrics. In simulation, their performances were compared to the rocker-bogie-type rover MER. CRAB and MER showed similar performance, while RCL-E had significant problems with the benchmark obstacle. A very good match between simulation results and real measurements was achieved. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.