Is it realistic and useful to have devices that move by changing relative positions of their ground contact surfaces in a 2 phase cycle?

Instead of wheels, this kind of device has 2 ground contact surfaces that can be moved separately by 2 different support structures. Each support structure has 3 segments so that the angles between them can be changed. The ground contact surfaces are in the lowest segments. When moving at normal speed, one ground contact is in place while the other is moved to a new position by adjusting the angles between support structure segments, then both surfaces are briefly in place at the same time, then the first surface is moved to a new position and so on. A computer has to calculate trajectories for every contact surface movement and angle change between support structure segments, with tens of milliseconds time resolution.

Is this possible? Is this possible with common of-the-shelf components attached to custom-made aluminum structures? Would this need advances in computer science?

This would be the most energy-efficient method to transport things outside any roads or flat terrain, especially if energy from slowing-down phases of the movement can be reused ( with springs or with electric motors turning to generators for fractions of a second... ). Transport drones would be much less efficient.

Submitted November 08, 2017 at 06:51PM by herkato5 http://ift.tt/2zu4iHq via TikTokTikk