The project was born from a vision by Suebpong and the Majortech team to push the limits of mobile robotics. While stationary arms are common, the goal was to give a powerful robot arm true “legs”, or in this case, tracks, to go where the work is. Inspired by the need for versatile automation in Smart Agriculture and the high-stakes demands of Search and Rescue (SAR), they set out to mate the powerful 6-axis AR4 robot by Annin Robotics with the Terrex (TR-80) tank chassis.
The first major hurdle was physics. Mounting a dynamic 6-axis arm onto a moving platform creates a complex dance of forces. The initial prototype, with its 40 kg payload, served as the testbed. The team spent weeks evaluating weight distribution and chassis stability during movement. Watching the TR-80 traverse obstacles and uneven terrain with the AR4 mounted proved the chassis could provide the rugged mobility required.
