Actively Variable Transmission Robotic Leg

Quadrupedal robots consume large amounts of energy while walking or standing, limiting their range and operation time. Moreover, their design involves multiple trade-offs between conflicting requirements, reducing their flexibility and suitability for certain applications despite their advantages in rough and unknown environments. One of the root causes of this situation is the mismatch between the limited capabilities of the actuators and the wide range of requirements for these robots. This work introduces an actively variable transmission design intended to adjust the robot’s characteristics according to its current mission requirements, resulting in more efficient power usage and longer operational times. We designed and built a single-leg prototype and tested it. Experimental results show a decrease of up to 50% in the power consumption of the knee actuator, confirming the theoretical analysis.