Performance Evaluation

We have successfully constructed the robot, and all subsystems are operational. The robot demonstrates forward, backward, and zero-degree turning capabilities. However, limitations in the current battery output prevent the concurrent operation of all three linear actuators, causing the robot to lift only one leg at a time. Consequently, this adversely affects the robot's gait, significantly slowing its movement. Although the robot can operate without an additional load, the introduction of an operator as a load would further decrease its speed and may even cause complete stalling due to the output torque limitations of the stepper motors. 

Strong and Weak Points

Overall, our system is robust but requires a number of improvements to achieve the performance goals. The tripod gait and wheelbase have ensured that our robot is very stable at all points in the gait. Our design, in both frame and software, has also been optimized for safety and future expansion. Our 80/20 frame is durable and modular, allowing for easy modifications. Our choice to run the robot on ROS means new developers familiar with ROS will have an easier time onboarding and modifying the code. Our gait control optimizes for safety by minimizing the amount of time spent in a tripod gait. This focus on safety, however, has compromised some design requirements. Due to the distribution of weight, the system is unable to walk forward and is unable to walk at all when under load. When in motion, the robot is much slower than the design requirements, due to the slowness of the gait. The system is unable to activate more than one linear actuator at a time, meaning that each leg must be lifted and lowered one at a time. This is exasperated by the redundant leg lowering at the end of each half-step.