Research on Gait Stability of a Foot-Type Wall-Climbing Robot

This paper presents a foot-type wall-climbing robot (FTWR) with a new type of walking mechanism. The gear-and-pinion mechanism and the electromagnets are used to realize the switching function of the supporting foot and the swinging foot. The robot walks in two orthogonal directions without turning and its control system is simple. The movement principle of the robot is analyzed. The walking stability criterions of the robot on two kinds of inclined walls are discussed, which are the positive slope wall and the negative slope wall. Finally, the validity of the mechanism and stability criterions of the robot are verified by the experimental testing with a robot prototype.