ADAPTIVE SUSPENSION VEHICLE Robot (ASV) – 21003
An adaptive suspension vehicle (ASV) is a specialized robot that uses mechanical limbs to propel itself. It moves on several legs like a gigantic insect. This provides excellent stability and maneuverability. The ASV can carry several hundred kilograms, and moves at 2 to 4 m/s. The machine itself masses 2 to 3 metric tons. It is the size of a small truck, and it can carry a driver or rider.
The design and construction of a robot with legs is considerably more difficult than that of a wheel-driven or track-driven robot, but there is a payoff: the ASV can move over much rougher terrain than any vehicle with wheels or a tack drive.