This device is designed to drive ground vehicles at high speeds and safely over rough and uncertain terrain. An actuated wheel rotates an arrangement of actuated leg-like contact linkages where both the wheel and each leg mechanism are force/torque controllable at high speeds. This multi-axial force/torque controllability enables a smooth ride for a mounted vehicle chassis, even over unseen rough terrain and at high speeds. In effect, a rider on a force-torque controlled vehicle can be made to feel as though they are floating on air, even as the vehicle clamors over rocky ground terrain underneath.

Advantages

Applications include better maneuverability for high-speed military vehicles, all-terrain emergency vehicles, medical patient transport, package delivery, and interplanetary exploration.

Autonomously controlled Hybrid Parcel Water/Air Delivery Vehicle with Buoyancy-Assisted Cable-Dragged Payloads

The invention comprises a parcel delivery/transportation system that employs an aerial vehicle that drags, via a cable, a suspended parcel in the water, above water, and on the surface. The system exploits buoyant forces to reduce energy consumption, conceal, and transport heavier parcels. Thanks to the maneuverability of the system, the parcel can be manipulated to avoid collisions with natural and man-made structures, interconnect separated bodies of water, and perform individualized delivery.

Advantages