Physical modeling and dynamic simulation of planet vehicles: Application to the motion prediction

Physical modeling to predict and control the motions of a planetary rover is considered. The approach presented is not only to incorporate dynamic constraints into geometrical modeling and reasoning, but rather, to design a complete physical model of the entire system: the robot in its physical natural context. Futhermore, with this model, the aim is firstly to evaluate and predict the possible motions of the robot according to its physics, and secondly to assess the feasible plans, according to these motion capabilities. The principles of the physically based modeler simulator Cordis-Anima are introduced. Different physically based models of vehicles, terrains, and terrain-terrain or vehicle-terrain interactions are explained. Given these models, the incorporation of strategical data, provided by a planing stage, into this modeled physical world, is discussed. The two possible directions that have been opened by this approach, the execution model and gestural programming of a planetary vehicle, are pointed out.