초록 ▼

The present teachings relate generally to a small remote vehicle having rotatable flippers and a weight of less than about 10 pounds and that can climb a conventional-sized stairs. The present teachings also relate to a small remote vehicle can be thrown or dropped fifteen feet onto a hard/inelastic

The present teachings relate generally to a small remote vehicle having rotatable flippers and a weight of less than about 10 pounds and that can climb a conventional-sized stairs. The present teachings also relate to a small remote vehicle can be thrown or dropped fifteen feet onto a hard/inelastic surface without incurring structural damage that may impede its mission. The present teachings further relate to a small remote vehicle having a weight of less than about 10 pounds and a power source supporting missions of at least 6 hours.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A mobile robot system comprising: a mobile robot including: a housing;driven tracks disposed on the housing;right and left flippers disposed on corresponding right and left sides of the housing, each of the flippers rotatable with respect to the housing, the flippers and the tracks arranged to al

1. A mobile robot system comprising: a mobile robot including: a housing;driven tracks disposed on the housing;right and left flippers disposed on corresponding right and left sides of the housing, each of the flippers rotatable with respect to the housing, the flippers and the tracks arranged to allow the robot to climb stairs; andan antenna disposed on a top surface of the housing and extending upward away from the top surface, the top surface of the housing being lower than a height of the tracks with respect to a supporting ground surface of the robot, forming a gap volume between the top surface of the housing and the tracks, the antenna having a vertical height with respect to the supporting ground surface greater than a vertical height of an envelope of rotation of the flippers and being sized to fit within the gap volume between the top surface of the housing and the tracks, the antenna being flexible along at least a majority of a length of the antenna, the antenna being movable between a stowed state and a deployed state, the antenna folded and positioned in the gap volume during the stowed state, the antenna erect and extending out of the gap volume during the deployed state; andan operator control unit configured to remotely control the mobile robot, the operator control unit including a strap and a buckle attached to a back surface of the operator control unit and configured to receive the strap, the strap and the buckle operable to secure the operator control unit to an operator so that the back surface accommodates an operator's forearm, the operator control unit including a front surface opposite the back surface, the front surface including a display and a stowable control unit antenna, the stowable control unit antenna being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position;wherein a combined weight of the flippers and the antenna is sufficient to move a center-of-gravity of the robot far enough to tilt the housing with respect to the supporting ground surface; andwherein a total weight of the robot is less than about five pounds. 2. The mobile robot system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is located on a forward end of the housing and the flippers are located on a rear end of the housing, the antenna assisting in stair climbing by moving the center-of-gravity of the robot forward, helping a front end of the robot tip forward as the robot surmounts a stair riser. 3. The mobile robot system of claim 1, wherein the combined weight of the antenna and the two flippers of the mobile robot is less than about 10 percent of the total weight of the mobile robot. 4. The mobile robot system of claim 1, wherein the combined weight of the antenna and the two flippers of the mobile robot is less than about 5 percent of the total weight of the mobile robot. 5. The mobile robot system of claim 1, wherein the mobile robot dimensions are less than about 10 inches long and about 9 inches wide and about 4 inches high exclusive of the antenna. 6. The mobile robot system of claim 1, wherein the antenna is confined entirely within the gap volume and entirely within a boundary of the top surface of the housing during the stowed state. 7. The mobile robot system of claim 1, wherein the flippers and the tracks are arranged to allow the robot to climb stairs having a riser height of between about 7.5 inches and about 8 inches. 8. The mobile robot system of claim 1, wherein the operator control unit includes a length equal to about 6.5 inches, a width equal to about 4.5 inches, and a depth equal to about 2 inches. 9. The mobile robot system of claim 1, wherein the back surface of the operator control unit includes a recessed surface configured to receive the forearm of the operator. 10. A mobile robot system comprising: a mobile robot including: a housing having a top surface;driven tracks disposed on the housing, the top surface of the housing lower than a height of the tracks with respect to a supporting ground surface of the robot, forming a gap volume between the top surface of the housing and the tracks;right and left flippers disposed on corresponding right and left sides of the housing, each of the flippers rotatable with respect to the housing, the flippers and the tracks arranged to allow the robot to climb stairs; andan antenna disposed on the top surface of the housing and extending upward away from the top surface, the antenna having a vertical height with respect to the supporting ground surface of the robot greater than a vertical height of an envelope of rotation of the flippers and being sized to fit within the gap volume, the antenna being flexible along at least a majority of a length of the antenna, the antenna movable between a stowed state and a deployed state, the antenna folded and positioned in the gap volume during the stowed state, the antenna erect and extending out of the gap volume during the deployed state; andan operator control unit configured to remotely control the mobile robot, the operator control unit including a strap and a buckle attached to a back surface of the operator control unit and configured to receive the strap, the strap and the buckle operable to secure the operator control unit to an operator so that the back surface accommodates the operator's forearm, the operator control unit including a front surface opposite the back surface, the front surface including a display and a stowable control unit antenna, the stowable control unit antenna being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position;wherein a combined weight of the flippers and the antenna is sufficient to move a center-of-gravity of the robot far enough to tilt the housing with respect to the surface ground supporting. 11. The mobile robot system of claim 10, wherein the antenna is located on a forward end of the housing and the flippers are located on a rear end of the housing, the antenna assisting in stair climbing by moving the center-of-gravity of the robot forward, helping a front end of the robot tip forward as the robot surmounts a stair riser. 12. The mobile robot system of claim 10, wherein the combined weight of the antenna and the two flippers of the mobile robot is less than about 10 percent of a total weight of the mobile robot. 13. The mobile robot system of claim 10, wherein the combined weight of the antenna and the two flippers of the mobile robot is less than about 5 percent of a total weight of the mobile robot. 14. The mobile robot system of claim 10, wherein the mobile robot dimensions are less than about 10 inches long and about 9 inches wide and about 4 inches high exclusive of the antenna. 15. The mobile robot system of claim 10, wherein the antenna is confined entirely within the gap volume and entirely within a boundary of the top surface of the housing during the stowed state. 16. The mobile robot system of claim 10, wherein the operator control unit includes a length equal to about 6.5 inches, a width equal to about 4.5 inches, and a depth equal to about 2 inches. 17. The mobile robot system of claim 10, wherein the back surface of the operator control unit includes a recessed surface configured to receive the forearm of the operator. 18. A mobile robot system comprising: a mobile robot including: a housing;driven tracks disposed on the housing;right and left flippers disposed on corresponding right and left sides of the housing, each of the flippers rotatable with respect to the housing, the flippers and the tracks arranged to allow the robot to climb stairs; andan antenna disposed on a top surface of the housing and extending upward away from the top surface, the antenna having a vertical height with respect to a supporting ground surface of the robot greater than a vertical height of an envelope of rotation of the flippers and being sized to fit within a gap volume between the top surface of the housing and the tracks, the antenna being flexible along at least a majority of a length of the antenna, the antenna being movable between a stowed state and a deployed state, the antenna folded and positioned in the gap volume during the stowed state, the antenna erect and extending out of the gap volume during the deployed state; andan operator control unit configured to remotely control the mobile robot, the operator control unit including a strap and a buckle attached to a back surface of the operator control unit and configured to receive the strap, the strap and the buckle operable to secure the operator control unit to an operator so that the back surface accommodates the operator's forearm, the operator control unit including a front surface opposite the back surface, the front surface including a display and a stowable control unit antenna, the stowable control unit antenna being movable between a stowed position and a deployed position. 19. The mobile robot system of claim 18, wherein the antenna is located on a forward end of the housing and the flippers are located on a rear end of the housing, the antenna assisting in stair climbing by moving the center-of-gravity of the robot forward, helping a front end of the robot tip forward as the robot surmounts a stair riser. 20. The mobile robot system of claim 18, wherein the combined weight of the antenna and the two flippers of the mobile robot is less than about 10 percent of a total weight of the mobile robot. 21. The mobile robot system of claim 18, wherein the combined weight of the antenna and the two flippers of the mobile robot is less than about 5 percent of a total weight of the mobile robot. 22. The mobile robot system of claim 18, wherein the mobile robot dimensions are less than about 10 inches long and about 9 inches wide and about 4 inches high exclusive of the antenna. 23. The mobile robot system of claim 18, wherein the operator control unit includes a length equal to about 6.5 inches, a width equal to about 4.5 inches, and a depth equal to about 2 inches. 24. The mobile robot system of claim 18, wherein the back side of the operator control unit includes a recessed surface configured to receive the forearm of the operator.