734 research outputs found
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
Soft Pneumatic Gelatin Actuator for Edible Robotics
We present a fully edible pneumatic actuator based on gelatin-glycerol
composite. The actuator is monolithic, fabricated via a molding process, and
measures 90 mm in length, 20 mm in width, and 17 mm in thickness. Thanks to the
composite mechanical characteristics similar to those of silicone elastomers,
the actuator exhibits a bending angle of 170.3 {\deg} and a blocked force of
0.34 N at the applied pressure of 25 kPa. These values are comparable to
elastomer based pneumatic actuators. As a validation example, two actuators are
integrated to form a gripper capable of handling various objects, highlighting
the high performance and applicability of the edible actuator. These edible
actuators, combined with other recent edible materials and electronics, could
lay the foundation for a new type of edible robots.Comment: Submitted to IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots
and Systems 201
The Next-Generation Surgical Robots
The chronicle of surgical robots is short but remarkable. Within 20 years since the regulatory approval of the first surgical robot, more than 3,000 units were installed worldwide, and more than half a million robotic surgical procedures were carried out in the past year alone. The exceptionally high speeds of market penetration and expansion to new surgical areas had raised technical, clinical, and ethical concerns. However, from a technological perspective, surgical robots today are far from perfect, with a list of improvements expected for the next-generation systems. On the other hand, robotic technologies are flourishing at ever-faster paces. Without the inherent conservation and safety requirements in medicine, general robotic research could be substantially more agile and explorative. As a result, various technical innovations in robotics developed in recent years could potentially be grafted into surgical applications and ignite the next major advancement in robotic surgery. In this article, the current generation of surgical robots is reviewed from a technological point of view, including three of possibly the most debated technical topics in surgical robotics: vision, haptics, and accessibility. Further to that, several emerging robotic technologies are highlighted for their potential applications in next-generation robotic surgery
Cooperative Air and Ground Survaillance
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can be used to cover large areas searching for targets. However, sensors on UAVs are typically limited in their accuracy of localization of targets on the ground. On the other hand, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) can be deployed to accurately locate ground targets, but they have the disadvantage of not being able to move rapidly or see through such obstacles as buildings or fences. In this article, we describe how we can exploit this synergy by creating a seamless network of UAVs and UGVs. The keys to this are our framework and algorithms for search and localization, which are easily scalable to large numbers of UAVs and UGVs and are transparent to the specificity of individual platforms. We describe our experimental testbed, the framework and algorithms, and some results
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