Gripper Posture Deviation Analysis of Transverse Ledge Brachiation Robots

Transverse brachiation robots take advantage of the lower limb swing motion for energy accumulation to perform human-inspired locomotive styles of transverse movements along the concrete ledges on the vertical walls. The existing research related to transverse brachiation robots all suffer from an identical problem in which ape-inspired brachiation robots do not have, i.e., gripping posture deviation associated with repetitive swing motion. In this study we propose a simplified 3D dynamic model to illustrate this unique deviation phenomenon during continuous ledge brachiation. Simulation results indicate that the problem of posture deviation is inevitable for transverse brachiation robots grasping non-circular ledges, which makes locomotion design and implementation very challenging.