Mobile robot assembly systems and methods

A system comprising:

• a flipper plate for a mobile robot, wherein:
• the flipper plate is configured to be rotatably driven and configured to be mounted to a main body of the robot, the flipper plate comprising:
• an outer side configured to face away from the main body, and an inner side opposite to the outer side;
• the flipper plate is bent to align a first flipper wheel mounted on the inner side of the flipper plate with a second flipper wheel mounted on the outer side of the flipper plate and with a track trained about the first and second flipper wheels;
• the flipper plate comprises:
• a first part configured to be proximate to the first flipper wheel, and a second part configured to be proximate to the second flipper wheel;
• and
• the flipper plate comprises a first link, a second link, and a middle link each of which rigidly connects the first part to the second part, the middle link disposed between the first and second links.

A method comprising:

• obtaining a core chassis for a mobile robot, the core chassis comprising:
• a housing;
• and
• core chassis parts within the housing, the core chassis parts comprising a processor, a memory, and one or more electric motors;
• mounting a plurality of first wheels outside the housing to be driven by one or more of the one or more electric motors, the plurality of first wheels being configured to partially support the core chassis above ground, the plurality of first wheels being insufficient to support all of the core chassis above ground in at least a horizontal orientation of the core chassis due at least in part to a relative position of the core chassis center of gravity relative to the first wheel mounts;
• releasably mounting one or more first extension plates to the housing to extend past the housing, the one or more first extension plates extending past the housing by a first amount;
• and
• mounting a plurality of second wheels to the first extension plates;
• wherein the mounted first and second wheels support all of the core chassis above the ground at least when the core chassis is in the horizontal orientation.