Walking Mobile Robot for Trimming Trees: Design and Modeling

Abstract

The article contains a description of a dynamic model of a walking mobile robot for pruning trees in parks and forests. Graph-analytical dependences for engineering design of devices of the specified robot are given. A comparative analysis of the existing designs of robotic devices for tree pruning with the proposed new design of a mobile robot of arbitrary orientation on tree trunks is also performed. Traditional use of drives with internal combustion engines for forest harvesters and mobile tractor units has a negative impact on the environment as a result of emissions of pollutants, i.e. combustion products and fuel residues. At the same time, performance of such technological operations as pruning of branches and bacterial outgrowths of trees, and also diagnostics of a condition of massifs with much bigger economic effect can be carried out by the equipment with the electric drive and remote control with involvement of means of both radio communication and satellite navigation – global positioning system (GPS). The use of mobile robotics to perform the above operations provides not only the mobility of movement on tree trunks, but also the main thing – compliance with the requirements of environmental friendliness for the maintenance of parks and forests. This article includes a dynamic model of a walking robot and the results of modeling with a numerical analysis of the process of moving a mobile robot on the trunks of trees in park areas. The practical significance of using the proposed dynamic model lies in the possibility of determining the design solutions of the mobile robot as a new means of maintenance of trees in park areas.