Simulation and optimization of regular motions of a tube-crawling robot

The paper is devoted to issues associated with the tube-crawling robot desi gned at the Munich Technical University. We focus on the simulation of the robot dynamics and the optimization of structural parameters of the machine and characteristics of its gait. The mathematical model of the eight-legge d tube-crawling robot performing regular motions at a constant speed along a cylindrical tube is described. On the basis of this model we investigate the influence of the machine design and gait parameters on the robot veloci ty and find their optimal values providing the maximal velocity under given parametric and drive constraints. Numerical examples are presented and dis cussed.