Dual Coaxial Wheeled CanBot Rover Development and Mobility Quantification

The mobility effectiveness and efficiency for two Earth-based simulation rovers were quantified using standard techniques. The simulation rovers, known as CanBots, represent the latest product of a modular prototyping technique intended to support the development of future small-scale planetary surface rovers. The CanBot rovers tested in this study featured two drive wheels arranged coaxially with respect to the body of the rover. The first rover featured lightweight 3D-printed wheels that included grousers, and the second employed more standard rubber tires. Mobility effectiveness was ascertained by determining the wheel slippage rate relative to the steepness of a sloped incline. Results indicated the rovers could engage slopes of up to 10-degrees, with nearly 100% slippage observed at 15-degree inclines. To determine mobility efficiency, the Cost of Transport for one rover was ascertained by measuring the power consumption for the vehicle in correlation with an average velocity ascertained through an optical Motion Capture system. The minimum COT was determined to be 0.23 when the idle power consumption was removed from the computations.