A team of Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) has developed a wheel innovative capable of adapt to the terrain and overcome obstacles such as stairs and rocks. This technology, called “morphing wheel”, is based on the principle of surface tension of liquid dropsallowing the wheel to change its stiffness based on trail conditions.
Traditional wheels, while efficient on flat surfaces, show significant limitations on uneven terrain: deformation constant compromises stability, efficiency and silence. The KIMM morphing wheel, however, overcomes these problems thanks to a system that regulates the tension applied to intelligent chain blocks positioned on the edge of the wheel.
When driving on flat surfaces, the wheel maintains high rigidity, ensuring efficiency. When he encounters obstacles, it becomes soft and adapts to the shape and height of obstaclesmaking it possible to tackle 18cm stairs or uneven rocks.
The system tackles obstacles 1.3 times the height of the wheel
This technology has been successfully tested on several prototypes, including wheelchairs and mobile robots. For example, the system has demonstrated the ability to cope obstacles 1.3 times the height of the wheel radiusan ideal feature for rough trails and industrial applications. The mechanism, miniaturized to facilitate integration, simplifies its application on vehicles and assistance devices.
Potential applications range from robotics to personal mobility. Bipedal and quadrupedal robots, notoriously less efficient on flat surfaces, could benefit from this technology to improve their performance. Wheelchairs for people with mobility disabilities could also gain more versatility, he sayseasily overcoming everyday obstacles such as stairs or pavements.
The director of the KIMM Advanced Robotics Research Center, Dong Il Park, underlined that this innovation represents a step forward compared to the limits of conventional wheels. According to senior researcher Sung-Hyuk Song, the system combines the efficiency of traditional wheel movement with the ability to overcome obstacles, paving the way for new possibilities in assisted and industrial mobility.
Published on Science Robotics in August 2024, this discovery is funded by the Korean Ministry of Science and ICT, aiming to radically transform the mobility and robotics sector.
