The term “mobile platform” can cover a multitude of possible technical designs. Such platform may be used to transport loads, manufacture equipment, cover holes in the ground or shift the moving parts of bridge structures. They may be fitted with various types of extensions or driven with various types of drives, moving on rails or without them. Some designs have travelling wheels on axles, while others have separately driven single wheels.

A research team composed of Ing. Ondřej Andrš, Ph.D., Ing. Jiří Kovář, Ph.D. (both of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering) and Ing. Vojtěch Vetiška (of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Communication) undertook the task to design a mobile platform of minimum building height, which would enable the greatest number of possible versions and which would be possible to operate even on sites with greater personal safety requirements. Their solution is based on a frame that has hollow longitudinal beams. The travelling wheels are embedded in this cavity along with an independent driving unit in the case of the driven wheel. The driving unit consists of an electromotor fed from a battery embedded in the frame cavity; a solar panel including other relevant accessories can be added. Gearing the driving forces to the wheel can be realized either through a worm, belt, chain or tooth gear. The platform is equipped with collision sensors, control electronics and remote control. A wide range of extensions and construction modifications can be applied (e.g. by attaching upright supports in the case of the bridge design).

The main advantage of the solution is the embedding of both the structural and control elements in the frame body. This increases the aesthetic characteristics of the device and its utility and safety. Another significant advantage in this particular configuration is the high degree of autonomy (powered by solar energy) and the wide range of easy-to-use control options (also possible via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi interface). This concept gives the device, which is protected as a utility model and patent a wide range of uses.

Figure legend:

Kolizní snímače -  Collision sensors; Koncové snímače - End sensors; Břemeno - Load; Řídicí elektronika a baterie - Control electronics and battery

Source of the introductory illustration: „Patio Pool Enclosures“ od Feynmanrichard https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Patio_Pool_Enclosures.JPG#/media/File:Patio_Pool_Enclosures.JPG

Source of the picture in the text: archives of the utility model’s designers