Biologically-inspired locomotion of a 2g hexapod robot

Baisch, Andrew T.; Sreetharan, Pratheev S.; Wood, Robert J.

doi:10.1109/iros.2010.5651789

Cited by 78 publications

(43 citation statements)

References 27 publications

(31 reference statements)

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“…Most mobile robots are built with hard materials (hard robots), either by adding treads or wheels (10,11) to conventional machines to increase their mobility, or by starting with conceptual models based on animals [e.g., Big Dog (12) and many others (13)(14)(15)], and replicating some of their features in hard structures. Although robotics has made enormous progress in the last 50 years, hard robots still have many limitations.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Multigait soft robot

Shepherd

Ilievski

Choi

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

1,802

1,232

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This manuscript describes a unique class of locomotive robot: A soft robot, composed exclusively of soft materials (elastomeric polymers), which is inspired by animals (e.g., squid, starfish, worms) that do not have hard internal skeletons. Soft lithography was used to fabricate a pneumatically actuated robot capable of sophisticated locomotion (e.g., fluid movement of limbs and multiple gaits). This robot is quadrupedal; it uses no sensors, only five actuators, and a simple pneumatic valving system that operates at low pressures (<10 psi). A combination of crawling and undulation gaits allowed this robot to navigate a difficult obstacle. This demonstration illustrates an advantage of soft robotics: They are systems in which simple types of actuation produce complex motion.biomimetic | mobile R obotics developed to increase the range of motions and functions open to machines, and to build into them some of the characteristics [including autonomous motion (1-3), adaptability to the environment (4-7), and capability of decision making (8, 9)] of animals, particularly animals with skeletons. Most mobile robots are built with hard materials (hard robots), either by adding treads or wheels (10, 11) to conventional machines to increase their mobility, or by starting with conceptual models based on animals [e.g., Big Dog (12) and many others (13-15)], and replicating some of their features in hard structures. Although robotics has made enormous progress in the last 50 years, hard robots still have many limitations. Some of these limitations are mechanical, and include instability when moving in difficult terrain; some have to do with the ranges of motions afforded by actuators and structures (e.g., metal rods, mechanical joints, and electric motors); some stem from the complexity in control (especially when handling materials and structures that are soft, delicate, and complex in shape). Hard robots fabricated from metals are also often heavy and expensive, and thus are not suitable for some applications.New classes of robots may thus find uses in applications where conventional hard robots are unsuitable. We are interested in a unique class of robots: That is, soft robots fabricated in materials (predominantly elastomeric polymers) that do not use a rigid skeleton to provide mechanical strength. The objective of this work is to demonstrate a soft robot that requires only simple design and control to generate mobility. In this demonstration, we begin to address some of the issues that have limited the development of soft robots. Instead of basing this and other designs on highly evolved animals as models, we are using simpler organisms [e.g., worms (16) and starfish (17)] for inspiration. These organisms, ones without internal skeletons, suggest designs that are simpler to make and are less expensive than conventional hard robots, and that may, in some respects, be more capable of complex motions and functions. Simple, inexpensive systems will probably not replace more complex and expensive ones, but may have different...

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mentioning

confidence: 99%

Multigait soft robot

Shepherd

Ilievski

Choi

et al. 2011

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

1,802

1,232

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“…The flexure-based spherical five-bar (SFB) mechanism in Fig. 3, which was introduced in the previous version of HAMR [8], is used to achieve this desired output. The SFB maps two decoupled drive inputs to a single end effector, in this case the leg, through a parallel mechanism that can be idealized as a ball-in socket joint sans axial rotation.…”

Section: A Hip Joint Legs and Feetmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our work focuses on developing a centimeter-scale, sub-2 gram walking platform; larger than those achievable with MEMS fabrication but smaller than DASH and RoACH [7], [8]. The primary motivations of this work include studying the dynamics of locomotion on the insect scale and improving meso-scale design and fabrication techniques.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

HAMR3: An autonomous 1.7g ambulatory robot

Baisch

Heimlich

Karpelson

et al. 2011

2011 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems

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Abstract-Here we present an autonomous 1.7g hexapod robot as a platform for research on centimeter-scale walking robots. It features six spherical five-bar linkages driven by high energy density piezoelectric actuators and onboard power and control electronics. This robot has achieved autonomous ambulation using an alternating tripod gait at speeds up to 0.9 body lengths per second, making this the smallest and lightest hexapod robot capable of autonomous locomotion.

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“…3 Insects have the compact walking mechanisms and the excellent flexible control systems using biological neural networks. Hence, the realization of small walking systems with the size of an insect is valuable.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hexapod Type MEMS Microrobot Equipped with an Artificial Neural Networks IC

Sugita¹,

Tanaka²,

Nakata³

et al. 2017

JRNAL

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This paper proposes a hexapod type microrobot controlled by an artificial neural networks IC. The structural component of the microrobot is produced by micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS) process. The rotary actuator inside the robot is composed of the artificial muscle wire of shape memory alloy (SMA) material. The artificial neural networks IC includes cell body models, inhibitory synaptic models and current mirror circuits. By reducing the heat capacity of the actuator and the length of electrical wire to the actuator, the walking speed achieved 12 mm/min.

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Biologically-inspired locomotion of a 2g hexapod robot

Cited by 78 publications

References 27 publications

Multigait soft robot

Multigait soft robot

HAMR3: An autonomous 1.7g ambulatory robot

Hexapod Type MEMS Microrobot Equipped with an Artificial Neural Networks IC

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