Tyre to track and back again – in 2 seconds

A team from Carnegie Mellon University National Robotics Engineering Center (CMU NREC) in the USA has demonstrated shape-shifting wheel-track mechanisms that transition from a round wheel to a triangular track and back again while the vehicle is on the move. This Reconfigurable Wheel-Track (RWT) system can change from wheel to track and back again within just two seconds. RWT offers the benefit of fast travel on hard surfaces in wheel mode along with better performance on soft surfaces in its track guise, thus offering instant improvements to tactical mobility and manoeuvrability on diverse terrains.

The RWT system is just one of a number of technologies demonstrated by United States Department of Defense agency the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) as part of its Ground X-Vehicle Technologies (GXV-T) programme. Other demonstrated technologies include electric in-hub motors and extreme travel suspension as well as crew augmentation technologies such as virtual vehicle windows.