Movement over rough terrain can be a very complex task, requiring to go to a lot of compromises. A vehicle equipped with tracks, to cope with this task without any problems, however, the crawler becomes ineffective, when all the marshes, you finally go to clean the road. In turn, the engineers and designers of Management of perspective research projects of the Ministry of defense of the United States (better known in our area as DARPA) don’t think we need to make tough choices in favor of either method.
In collaboration with Carnegie Mellon DARPA is working on technology for reconfigurable wheels (RWT) that allow you to change the regular round wheels on a crawler track (and back) on the go. On several fragments the video below you can see how the system allows you to change the part of the car’s suspension just two seconds. You do not even need to stop.
The development of RWT is part of a series of research projects DARPA Ground X-Vehicle Technologies in the field of vehicles used in difficult conditions. Here, for example, is developing a mid-engine electric vehicle with high speed and maneuverability, as well as the study of technology multi-mode suspension that allows you to move at a very high speed even on the most bumpy roads.
In addition, DARPA is developing technologies aimed at increasing the level of review and awareness of drivers of these paramilitary vehicles: virtual screens surround the cabin with the support of 3D glasses to see the environment around the car; a system of virtual overlay on the windshield, showing the most optimal and safe future path, and much more.
In the history of many cases, when technology originally developed for military purposes after some time enters into use in everyday life. As for transforming on the fly wheels in your city hatchback or sedan they are, unfortunately, more will appear soon. DARPA has not yet completed their creation. Now conducted only initial testing. Nevertheless, in the future this technology could be useful not only to gardeners, lovers of hunting and fishing, but also the organizations involved in the search and rescue of people in emergency situations where you might need a movement in very difficult terrain.
DARPA is developing wheels, transformed on the go
Nikolai Khizhnyak