A vehicle wheel system, comprising:
- a segmented wheel comprising a hub and a plurality of radial segments connected to and extending outward from the hub, wherein each radial segment has a linear actuator having a fixed outer sleeve, a movable spoke within the fixed outer sleeve configured to change a segment radial length responsive to a first control signal, and a shoe connected to a distal end of the radial segment for contacting a surface being traversed by the wheel, the shoe comprising a rigid body having an arcuate lower surface for contacting the surface as the wheel rotates, wherein the plurality of arcuate lower surfaces of the shoes define a generally continuous circular surface when each of the linear actuators is arranged at a common radial distance from the hub, wherein each of the plurality of arcuate lower surfaces of the shoes forms a segment of the generally continuous circular surface defined by the plurality of arcuate lower surfaces;
- a distance sensor configured to determine a distance between the-distance sensor and a point on a surface being traversed by the vehicle at a point forward of the vehicle in a direction of travel of the vehicle;
- a plurality of locking mechanisms, each mounted on an outer wall of the fixed outer sleeve of each of the plurality of radial segments for preventing linear movement of the movable spoke and thereby preventing a change in the radial length of a respective one of the radial segments in response to a second control signal;
- and
- a computer processor configured to, in a first mode of operation:
- receive the determined distance;
- determine a radial segment that will contact the point in the surface as the segmented wheel rotates;
- compute a length of the determined radial segment consistent with maintaining a level of the hub constant;
- transmit the first control signal to the linear actuator of the determined radial segment to cause the linear actuator to change the length of the radial segment to the computed length;
- and
- transmit the second control signal for fixing the radial length of the determined radial segment at the computed length;
- the computer processor further configured to, in a second mode of operation:
- calculate a diameter for the segmented wheel based on a present travel condition of the wheel;
- calculate a length of each of the plurality of radial segments corresponding to the diameter;
- transmit a length signal from the computer processor for adjusting the plurality of the radial segments to the calculated length;
- and
- repeat the processing steps of calculating a diameter, calculating a length and transmitting a length signal for adjusting the plurality of the radial segments to the calculated length, when the computer processor determines that a travel condition of the wheel has changed.