Electrostatic latching for inter-module adhesion, power transfer, and communication in modular robots

Abstract

Abstract-A simple and robust inter-module latch is possibly the most important component of a modular robotic system. This paper describes a latch based on electric fields and capacitive coupling. Our design provides not only significant adhesion forces, but can also be used for inter-module power transmission and communication. The key insight presented in this paper, and the factor that enables electrostatic adhesion to be effective at the macroscale, is the use of electric field attraction to generate frictional shear forces rather than electric field attraction alone. A second important insight is that a specific degree of flexibility in the electrodes is essential to maximize their mutual coupling and the resulting forceselectrodes which are too flexible or too rigid will perform less well. To evaluate the effectiveness of our latch we incorporate it into a cubic module 28cm on a side. The result is a latch which requires almost zero static power and yet can hold 0.6N/cm 2 of latch area.

Stretchable electroadhesion for soft robots

“…Electroadhesion has been used in industry for several years in applications such as grippers [6], [7], clothing manufacturing [8], electrostatic chucks [9], [10], and in the last several years as an attachment method for climbing robots [5] and modular robots [11], [12]. Also, patents are held on the technology [15], [16], [17] and its application in several areas, including medical devices [18], climbing robots [19], grippers [20], or extension ladder stability devices [21].…”

Dynamic Power Sharing for Self-Reconfigurable Modular Robots

“…(a) Odin [4] (b) Electrostatic Latches [5] (c) Planar Catoms [6] Power sharing is an essential problem in self-reconfigurable modular robots because the structures possible are large and diverse and require a solution that must function across all configurations. Due to the various kinds of selfreconfigurable modular robots, several kinds of power sharing structures and circuits have been developed.…”

“…Fig. 2(b) shows Electrostatic Latches developed by CMU [5] where the capacitors are used to transfer the power from a square wave generator. Fig.…”

An Optocoupled Poseable Ball and Socket Joint for Computationally Enhanced Construction Kits

“…We are also involved in the construction of the prismatic cubes [13], self-reconfiguring robotic blocks that connect with an electrostatic comb [14]. Unlike the systems discussed above, the prismatic cubes' electronic latch must be actively triggered by the system once a mechanical connection has been made.…”