Design and Computational Modeling of a Leg-Wheel Transformable Mechanism with Decoupled Kinematics

Authors

  • José F. Flores Facultad de Ingenieríıa Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Coauhuila, Monclova, Mexico. https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7245-1828
  • H´éctor A. Moreno Facultad de Ingenieríıa Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Coauhuila, Monclova, Mexico. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5912-2323
  • Isela G. Carrera Facultad de Ingenieríıa Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Coauhuila, Monclova, Mexico.
  • Jose Luis Ordoñez-Avila Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana (UNITEC), San Pedros Sula, Honduras

Keywords:

Transformable mechanisms, kinematics, neural networks, mobile robotics

Abstract

This paper presents the design of a novel leg-wheel transformable mechanism. The purpose of this mechanism is to combine the efficiency of wheeled locomotion with the ability of the legs to traverse difficult terrain. The mechanism has two degrees of freedom with decoupled kinematics. The decoupled kinematics of the mechanism allows the rotation and extension/flexion motions to be controlled independently by a pair of actuators, which provides some advantages. In this work, the direct kinematics of the mechanism is solved analytically. On the other hand, due to the complexity of the inverse kinematics, two different numerical methods were evaluated for solving this problem. A model based on neural networks was successfully implemented in a physical prototype to generate the trajectory of a gait cycle in the leg mode of the mechanism.

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Author Biographies

José F. Flores, Facultad de Ingenieríıa Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Coauhuila, Monclova, Mexico.

José F. Flores holds a B.S. in Industrial Electronics Engineering and an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Universidad Aut´onoma de Coahuila, Mexico (2017, 2021). He has industrial experience as engineer, and has been teaching at different institution such as the UPIIC of the Instituto Politécnico Nacional . His research interest are in the fields of robotics, AI, manufacturing and industrial automation.

H´éctor A. Moreno, Facultad de Ingenieríıa Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Coauhuila, Monclova, Mexico.

Hector A. Moreno earned his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Automation and Robotics from Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (2009, 2013). He holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering and an M.Sc. in Electrical Engineering from Instituto Tecnológico de la Laguna, Mexico (2004, 2006). With extensive experience as a professor and researcher at various Mexican universities, he has also taught graduate courses across Latin America and visited research institutes in France, Japan, and the U.S. He has authored over 60 publications and edited four books. Currently a Research Professor at Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, his research focuses on modeling, control, and design of field, service, and industrial robots.

Isela G. Carrera, Facultad de Ingenieríıa Mecánica y Eléctrica, Universidad Autónoma de Coauhuila, Monclova, Mexico.

Isela G. Carrera earned her Ph.D. in Automation and Robotics from Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (2013). She holds a B.S. in Electronic and Telecommunications Engineering from ITESM Monterrey and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering from Instituto Tecnológico de la Laguna. In 2017, she became a member of Mexico’s National System of Researchers. Dr. Carrera has published over 30 papers, book chapters, and edited 4 books. She is currently a Research Professor at Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, focusing on the design of multifunctional rehabilitation devices for lower limb disabilities.

Jose Luis Ordoñez-Avila, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana (UNITEC), San Pedros Sula, Honduras

Jose Luis Ordonez Avila holds multiple degrees: a B.Eng. in Electronic Engineering (2015), a B.Eng. in Industrial Engineering (2008), an M.S. in Project Administration (2017), an M.S. in Industrial Engineering (2020), an M.S. in Engineering for Industry with Robotics (2023), and a Doctorate in Business Administration (2024). He is a tenured professor at UNITEC, specializing in robotics, mechatronics, and research. Dr. Ordoñez has taught at the master programs in Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador and been a researcher at Universidad Evangelica de El Salvador. His research focuses on robotics, AI, control systems and industrial automation.

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Published

2025-11-01

How to Cite

Flores, J. F. ., Moreno, H. A. ., Carrera, . I. . G. ., & Ordoñez-Avila, J. L. . (2025). Design and Computational Modeling of a Leg-Wheel Transformable Mechanism with Decoupled Kinematics. IEEE Latin America Transactions, 23(12), 1219–1229. Retrieved from https://latamt.ieeer9.org/index.php/transactions/article/view/9828

Issue

Vol. 23 No. 12 (2025): Ordinary Issue

Section

Computing