Design and validation of a Whegs robot in USARSim

Simulation of robots and other vehicles in a virtual domain has multiple benefits. End users can employ the simulation as a training tool to increase their familiarity and skill with the vehicle without risking damage to the robot, potential bystanders, or the surrounding environment. Simulation allows researchers and developers to benchmark the robot's performance in a range of scenarios without needing to physically have the robot and or necessary environment(s) present. Beyond benchmarking current designs, researchers and developers can use the information gathered in the simulation to guide and generate new design concepts. USARSim (Urban Search and Rescue Simulation) is a high fidelity simulation tool that is being used to accomplish these goals within the realm of search and rescue. One particular family of robots that can benefit from simulation in the USARSim environment is the Whegs™ series of robots developed in the Biologically Inspired Robotics Laboratory at Case Western Reserve University. Whegs robots are highly mobile ground vehicles that use abstracted biological principles to achieve a robust level of terrestrial locomotion. This paper describes a Whegs robot model that was designed and added to USARSim's current array of robots. The model was configured to exhibit the same kind of behavioral characteristics found in the real Whegs vehicles. Once these traits were implemented, a preliminary validation study was performed to ensure that the robot interacted with its environment in the same way that the real-life robot would.