1,458 research outputs found
A Proposal for a Multi-Drive Heterogeneous Modular Pipe- Inspection Micro-Robot
This paper presents the architecture used to develop a micro-robot for narrow pipes inspection. Both the electromechanical design and the control scheme will be described. In pipe environments it is very useful to have a method to retrieve information of the state of the inside part of the pipes in order to detect damages, breaks and holes. Due to the di_erent types of pipes that exists, a modular approach with di_erent types of modules has been chosen in order to be able to adapt to the shape of the pipe and to chose the most appropriate gait. The micro-robot has been designed for narrow pipes, a _eld in which there are not many prototypes. The robot incorporates a camera module for visual inspection and several drive modules for locomotion and turn (helicoidal, inchworm, two degrees of freedom rotation). The control scheme is based on semi-distributed behavior control and is also described. A simulation environment is also presented for prototypes testing
Self-Modifying Morphology Experiments with DyRET: Dynamic Robot for Embodied Testing
If robots are to become ubiquitous, they will need to be able to adapt to
complex and dynamic environments. Robots that can adapt their bodies while
deployed might be flexible and robust enough to meet this challenge. Previous
work on dynamic robot morphology has focused on simulation, combining simple
modules, or switching between locomotion modes. Here, we present an alternative
approach: a self-reconfigurable morphology that allows a single four-legged
robot to actively adapt the length of its legs to different environments. We
report the design of our robot, as well as the results of a study that verifies
the performance impact of self-reconfiguration. This study compares three
different control and morphology pairs under different levels of servo supply
voltage in the lab. We also performed preliminary tests in different
uncontrolled outdoor environments to see if changes to the external environment
supports our findings in the lab. Our results show better performance with an
adaptable body, lending evidence to the value of self-reconfiguration for
quadruped robots.Comment: Accepted to ICRA19. Corrections to table II, July 201
Bio-inspired Tensegrity Soft Modular Robots
In this paper, we introduce a design principle to develop novel soft modular
robots based on tensegrity structures and inspired by the cytoskeleton of
living cells. We describe a novel strategy to realize tensegrity structures
using planar manufacturing techniques, such as 3D printing. We use this
strategy to develop icosahedron tensegrity structures with programmable
variable stiffness that can deform in a three-dimensional space. We also
describe a tendon-driven contraction mechanism to actively control the
deformation of the tensegrity mod-ules. Finally, we validate the approach in a
modular locomotory worm as a proof of concept.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, submitted to Living Machine conference 201
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