Gecko-inspired climbing behaviors on vertical and overhanging surfaces

Abstract

Abstract-The adhesive and frictional properties of dry adhesive materials can be described by a three-dimensional limit surface in the space of normal and tangential contact forces at the feet. We present the empirically derived limit surface for directional adhesive pads and illustrate its application to controlling the forces at the feet of a robot climbing on arbitrary slopes, including overhanging surfaces. For the directional adhesive patches that we have developed, the limit surface is convex, which permits efficient computation of the desired internal and external forces among the feet to maximize a safety margin with respect to disturbance forces on the robot. The limit surface also intersects the origin in force space, which enables efficient climbing without wasting energy in attaching and detaching the feet. These insights are applied to an experimental climbing platform demonstrating the proper use of directional adhesion and mimicking the climbing behavior seen in geckos.

Aerial Locomotion in Cluttered Environments

“…To address this, one possible solution would be the combination of different attachment mechanisms for different situations (e.g. magnetic [33] or synthetic gecko-skin [38]). …”

Divisional and hierarchical innervations of G. gecko’s toes to motion and reception

“…As far as G. gecko foot's rotation is concerned, it is proved to be the result of stimulating Median nerve or Tibial nerve and commanding the limb muscles. (2) Adduction and abduction of G. gecko's toes were modulated and controlled divisionally. And according to our experimental results, G. gecko's toes were divided into two divisions, T1-T3 and T4-T5 divisions.…”

“…In 2005, the researchers in Carnegie Mellon University developed a gecko inspired robot "Geckobot", whose footpad was composed of 8 pieces of polydimethyl siloxane (PDMS) elastomer, and it could climb up to 85° stably on Plexiglas surfaces [1] . Further, researchers in Stanford University designed a gecko-mimic robot "Stickybot", whose foot was similar to gecko's, having 4 toes with sticky material, allowing it to adhere to or peel off the contacting surface, and it could climb on vertical glass surface freely [2] . We have already done lots of works in mechanical design of gecko-robot's foot and its motion control system [3][4][5][6][7] , now we are engaged in studying fine control and modulation of gecko's toes motion and their reception properties.…”

OmniClimbers: Omni-directional magnetic wheeled climbing robots for inspection of ferromagnetic structures

“…For holding a robot attached to a smooth surface, the mainly used systems are: suction cups [1], [2], [3], [4], attraction force generated by propeller (negative pressure) [5], [6] or magnets [7], [8], [9], [10]. Other new systems such as biological inspired adherence through wet or dry adhesion and electro adherence have also been developed (See [11] for instance). Robots whose end-effectors match engineered features of the environment like fences or porous materials, pipes or bars [12], [13], [14], [15] were also developed.…”