Portable Amphibious Spherical Rolling Robot with Live-Streaming Capability for Ground and Aquatic Deployment

Abstract

Forested terrains and mudflats surrounded by water bodies such as rivers, lakes, and swamps are difficult to maneuver around, especially for man-made automations and robots. The lack of reliable robotic platforms often hinders operations such as search-and-rescue, surveillance, and research efforts made in these terrains. Whereas most developments are focused on improving maneuverability on either land or water, little has been done in developing robotic platforms with amphibious capability. To address this design gap, an amphibious spherical rolling robot design is proposed. A spherical rolling robot is advantageous in terms of its selfrighting capability, balancing capability, and minimum damage to the surroundings during its mobilization. The proposed design contains a battery-powered fixed two-axis pendulum for the robots powertrain, which provides the robot with its selfrighting capability. Two modular live-feed cameras are inserted to provide live-streaming capability, both of which can be easily replaced with other relevant sensors if needed. A custommade 3D-printed sleeve is designed to improve the robot’s propulsion on both land and water. Most of the robot’s design features are highly modular, facilitating customization depending on the user’s needs. With these configurations, the final prototype exhibited a high degree of maneuverability on both land and water. The live-streaming capability was proven with a video recording from the robot’s cameras when deployed.

Samantha Chan

Postdoctoral Fellow

I create wearable, AI and digital interfaces to enhance human cognition and memory at the MIT Media Lab.