Virtual Research symposium (IIT Bombay & NTU Singapore)

Stair Climbing Mobility System

Radha Lahoti
Advisors: Prof. Ramesh Singh, Prof. Prasanna Gandhi

(Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay)

 Introduction
Stair-Climbing Mobility Systems (SCMSs)
Objective:
are assistive devices for people whose
To develop mechanical design of a
mobility is impaired or limited.
prototype of a load-carrying,
The need arises from stair-climbing device with
compensation for oscillations of
➢ Lifting & carrying heavy loads up (or the load-carrying platform from its
down) a fleet of stairs. horizontal orientation due to the
rotation of the locomotion unit.
➢ Negotiating architectural barriers
like stairs, for the disabled or people
with reduced mobility.
Base Mechanism - Rocker Bogie Design Specifications
It is a combination of Wheeled and Legged ● Maximum step height, h= 150 mm
walking mechanisms ● Minimum step length, l = 400 mm
● The load carrying capacity, M = 50 kg
Sketch (initial and modified)
=400 mm
=115 mm

=115 mm
=115 mm
=230 mm
=90 deg

=90 deg
=110 mm
=20 mm
=5 mm

Envelope: 400 mm*450 mm*310 mm (ht)

CAD model
 Static Simulation
● To check robustness of the geometry and material selection
● Varied the magnitude and location of the load and the
material after some modifications in design geometry
FoS with 100kg load
Simulated for 3 materials with 500 N
1. Steel - central force
2. Steel - displaced force
3. Aluminium- displaced force
4. PVC links with Al wheels - displaced force
Displacement with 100kg load
Material Selection
Volume of frame = 1261.68 cc
Mass of frame = 3.406 kg (Aluminium), 9.929 kg (Steel)
Steel vs Aluminium:

Material Steel AISI 1020 Aluminium 6061-T6

Yield strength 260 MPa 275 MPa

Density 7.87 g/cc 2.7 g/cc

Cost/kg Rs.60/kg Rs.275/kg

Cost/volume Rs.0.4722/cc Rs.0.7425/cc

Comments Heavier, cheaper Lighter, more expensive

Going with the lighter option, cost difference = (differential cost/volume) × volume of our machine =
(0.7425 - 0.4722)×1261.68 = Rs. 341
Therefore, we choose Aluminium.
Motor Selection 500N
Stepper motor to drive the platform: Tau_m
Tau_m = 500*0.04 = 20 Nm

DC motors for the 4 wheel drive: 4 cm

Motor torque = torque due to friction (assuming no slip and at constant speed)
Tau_m
So, Tau_dc = (Total weight/6)*𝜇*radius of wheel
Total weight = Weight of the base mechanism + (4*weight of one DC motor) +
Weight of stepper motor + Weight placed additionally on platform friction
∴ Tau_dc = 2.86 Nm

Component Quantity Properties Cost per piece Total cost (Rs.)

Stepper Motor (NEMA 43) 1 Mass - 11.7 kg 8000 8000

DC Motor (RS 775) 4 Mass - 4.5 kg 150 600

Final Static simulation - Al 6061
Final static simulation with motor weights (12 kg
for stepper motor and 4.5 kg for DC motors) added
to the device. The results are shown below:

Stresses with 500N load

Parameter Minimum Maximum

Safety Factor 1.114 15

Total 7.445e-04 mm 1.73 mm

Deformation

Displacement with 500N load

Control system for keeping the seat horizontal

Motor rotation
Voltage Amplified angle
Microcontroller Motor driver Voltage Stepper Motor
Link with the arc

Desired angle Inclination of the link

Accelerometer/ Encoder due to motion of
base mechanism
Modified control block diagram (with servo motor)
Motor rotation
Current/ Voltage angle
Tiva mc Servo Motor

Mount-phone (moving)

Desired angle Angle of the

Through web scraping Phyphox in phone phone’s inclination
Phyphox App (to configure accelerometer sensor of smartphone)
Web Scraping using Python In the ISR of the ccs code

The API of the app:

Video: Servo in action (rotation of phone from -90° to +90°)
Bill of Materials and Total cost
Component Material Quantity Cost of material (Rs.) Total cost (Rs.)

Circular arc + link Al 6061 2 76.32 152.64

L link Al 6061 2 17.65 35.30

Into the plane tubular link Al 6061 2 95.64 191.28

Platform Al 6061 1 502.38 502.38

Bolts + nuts (Hex key, partly Steel 30 8 240

threaded M8) Total cost ~ Rs. 12,400
Bearings (ball bearings) Steel 4 78 312
ID 8mm OD 12mm

Stepper Motor Nema 43 NA 1 8000 8000

DC Motor NA 4 400 1600

Wheels Al 6061 6 50 300

Accelerometer (ADXL335) NA 1 215 215

Motor driver (A4988) NA 1 76 76

Microcontroller (Arduino) NA 1 750 750

Summary
1. Identified the need for stair climbing mobility systems and surveyed existing literature
2. Set up the objective and design specifications; accordingly figured out the dimensions
3. Prepared the CAD model and Manufacturing drawings for all components
4. Performed Static simulations to analyse the robustness of geometry with variations in
loading condition and to finalise the material for the chassis
5. Motor selection based on torque requirement calculations
6. Designed a feedback control system for the mechanism to keep the platform horizontal
and implemented it using the available equipment
7. Performed the Cost analysis and prepared a complete BoM
Future work
● Stepper based control implementation for the platform
● Dynamic analysis and simulations
● Chassis covering design
● Platform design improvisation
● Manufacturing of the components and complete assembly
● Exploring other mechanisms to control the platform orientation perturbation
● Usage in Stair climbing Wheelchair design
Thank you!