Exploring the Feasibility of Integrating and Using an Excavator Arm on a Quadruped Robot

Quadruped robotics has become increasingly prevalent in recent years. Quadruped robotics are attractive for applications that require traversing rough terrain or urban/industrial multistory environments. Currently, it is possible to commercially buy quadruped robotics with arms for performing tasks such as opening doors and manipulating valves. In this work, we explore the feasibility of equipping quadruped robots with an excavation boom and bucket. The addition of a boom and bucket to a quadruped robot opens up the possibility of performing small-scale earth moving tasks in areas featuring rough terrain, size constraints on access, and environments too dangerous for humans. The excavation arm must respect the payload constraints associated with a quadruped robot and should therefore be lightweight and sufficiently stiff. In the course of this work, we will characterize the feasibility of performing excavation operations using a quadruped robot. Paths forward for improving the development of the system will be discussed.