1-Input 3-Output Open Mechanical Differential Pipe Climber
3-Output Open Differential Pipe Climber
** The research has been submitted to the IEEE International Conference on Intelligent Robotics and Systems (IROS) 2021. The details of the project and the paper will be updated after the paper presentation is completed (27th Sept - 1st Oct, 2021)
OBJECTIVE
​The robot houses a novel mechanism for controlling 3 outputs with a single input, extending the 2-output differential concept. This eliminates the use for any active control of the 3 wheels/tracks. ​The robot is orientation indifferent inside the pipe and successfully traverses the pipe networks autonomously. The mechanism enables climbing against gravity and reduces slip & drag.
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The mechanism is the first of its kind that is unbiased towards any of its output despite being only mechanically controlled with 1 input motor only. It produces differential speed in the tracks depending on the loads experienced by each.