A vehicle drive system can include wheels that have flat portions corresponding to the areas of relative flexibility of stiffness of a track. When the discontinuous, angular profile of the track of the vehicle can deform about a matching angularly-profiled wheel, a smoother ride with less power loss can be produced, and ratcheting (caused by loosened or mismatched engagement between the track and a driving structure) can be reduced.

A vehicle drive system can include wheels that have flat portions corresponding to the areas of relative flexibility of stiffness of a track. When the discontinuous, angular profile of the track of the vehicle can deform about a matching angularly-profiled wheel, a smoother ride with less power loss can be produced, and ratcheting (caused by loosened or mismatched engagement between the track and a driving structure) can be reduced.

A self-propelled monitoring device for autonomously patrolling a region includes a drive unit, a power supply system, at least one sensor for detecting a surrounding area, a control unit for evaluating data supplied by the sensor and for ascertaining an action to be carried out next, and a signal generating device. An image of the surrounding area is captured by the at least one sensor, and the sensor image is analyzed by the control unit. The position of a person present in the surrounding area is ascertained, and a signal which is directed towards the ascertained position is output by the signal generating device.

A reconfigurable joint track compound mobile robot has a main vehicle body, yaw joints and an auxiliary track module. The main vehicle body has a main track, and a clutch brake and a first wheel joint arranged in a main track driving wheel. A second wheel joint is arranged in a main track driven wheel. The main vehicle body is provided with main track driving mechanisms and a wheel joint driving mechanism. The main track driving wheel is driven to rotate by the main track driving mechanisms, which are connected with the clutch brake. The second wheel joint is driven to rotate by the wheel joint driving mechanism. Each wheel joint is correspondingly connected with the yaw joints, which are rotatably connected with the auxiliary track module. A yaw driving mechanism that drives the auxiliary track module to swing is arranged in each yaw joint.

A reconfigurable joint track compound mobile robot has a main vehicle body, yaw joints and an auxiliary track module. The main vehicle body has a main track, and a clutch brake and a first wheel joint arranged in a main track driving wheel. A second wheel joint is arranged in a main track driven wheel. The main vehicle body is provided with main track driving mechanisms and a wheel joint driving mechanism. The main track driving wheel is driven to rotate by the main track driving mechanisms, which are connected with the clutch brake. The second wheel joint is driven to rotate by the wheel joint driving mechanism. Each wheel joint is correspondingly connected with the yaw joints, which are rotatably connected with the auxiliary track module. A yaw driving mechanism that drives the auxiliary track module to swing is arranged in each yaw joint.

A resistance to wear, edge-cutting or other deterioration of a track for a vehicle and/or other aspects of the track may be enhanced, including by enhancing internal reinforcements (e.g., cores) of the track, such as by providing certain flexibility characteristics to these internal reinforcements of the track, and/or by monitoring the track and controlling the vehicle, notifying a user, etc.

A resistance to wear, edge-cutting or other deterioration of a track for a vehicle and/or other aspects of the track may be enhanced, including by enhancing internal reinforcements (e.g., cores) of the track, such as by providing certain flexibility characteristics to these internal reinforcements of the track, and/or by monitoring the track and controlling the vehicle, notifying a user, etc.

An agricultural tracked vehicle has a ground drive including at least two ground drive wheels. Ground engagement elements are assigned to individual ground drive wheels and/or units comprising several ground drive wheels. An evaluation device is provided, which is configured for ascertaining an operating state of at least one of the ground engagement elements based at least on one or several state variables of the surroundings and/or vehicle-independent, device-specific sensor data.

An agricultural tracked vehicle has a ground drive including at least two ground drive wheels. Ground engagement elements are assigned to individual ground drive wheels and/or units comprising several ground drive wheels. An evaluation device is provided, which is configured for ascertaining an operating state of at least one of the ground engagement elements based at least on one or several state variables of the surroundings and/or vehicle-independent, device-specific sensor data.

An agricultural planter is configured to be moved over a supporting surface by a vehicle. The agricultural planter includes a frame and a planter assembly coupled to the frame. A first propulsion assembly is coupled to the frame at a first position with the first propulsion assembly having a first traction member configured to engage the supporting surface. A second propulsion assembly is coupled to the frame at a second position with the second propulsion assembly having a second traction member configured to engage the supporting surface. A drive assembly is operably coupled to at least one of the first or second propulsion assemblies and configured to drive at least one of the first or second traction members during operation of the planter assembly. The first traction member is configured to be driven independently of the second traction member.