Research on the Design and Gait Planning of a Hexapod Robot Based on Improved Triangular Gait for Lunar Exploration

To address the challenges posed by the loose lunar surface structure, including the adhesive nature of lunar soil, strong corrosiveness and the slow walking speed of robots using traditional tripod gaits, this paper proposes the design of a small lunar exploration hexapod robot with hollow legs, employing anti-corrosive aerospace materials throughout. Additionally, an inverted gait motion mode is introduced. Simulation analysis is conducted on the displacement, angular velocity, angular acceleration and joint torque of the robot’s body under both traditional tripod gaits and the “inverted gait” motion mode. A physical prototype of the robot is developed to validate the rationality of its structure. Our research results indicate that the designed lunar exploration hexapod robot’s body structure is reasonable, enabling it to stand and walk normally on the unstructured lunar terrain. The hollow design reduces the adhesion of lunar soil. The inverted gait motion mode expands the effective swinging range of the robot’s legs and increases the effective step length during leg swing. Additionally, it improves the robot’s movement speed, eliminates vibrations at the joints during motion and improves the robot’s stability during the support phase.