scholarly journals Legless soft robots capable of rapid, continuous, and steered jumping

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rui Chen ◽  
Zean Yuan ◽  
Jianglong Guo ◽  
Long Bai ◽  
Xinyu Zhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soft Robots ◽  
Obstacle Crossing ◽  
Unstructured Environments ◽  
Bending Actuator ◽  
Essential Properties ◽  
Jumping Robot

AbstractJumping is an important locomotion function to extend navigation range, overcome obstacles, and adapt to unstructured environments. In that sense, continuous jumping and direction adjustability can be essential properties for terrestrial robots with multimodal locomotion. However, only few soft jumping robots can achieve rapid continuous jumping and controlled turning locomotion for obstacle crossing. Here, we present an electrohydrostatically driven tethered legless soft jumping robot capable of rapid, continuous, and steered jumping based on a soft electrohydrostatic bending actuator. This 1.1 g and 6.5 cm tethered soft jumping robot is able to achieve a jumping height of 7.68 body heights and a continuous forward jumping speed of 6.01 body lengths per second. Combining two actuator units, it can achieve rapid turning with a speed of 138.4° per second. The robots are also demonstrated to be capable of skipping across a multitude of obstacles. This work provides a foundation for the application of electrohydrostatic actuation in soft robots for agile and fast multimodal locomotion.

scholarly journals A soft matter computer for soft robots

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (33) ◽  
pp. eaaw6060 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Garrad ◽  
G. Soter ◽  
A. T. Conn ◽  
H. Hauser ◽  
J. Rossiter
Keyword(s):  
Smart Materials ◽  
Soft Matter ◽  
Autonomous Robots ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Input Parameter ◽  
Soft Materials ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Stimulus Response ◽  
Bending Actuator ◽  
Two Degree Of Freedom

Despite the growing interest in soft robotics, little attention has been paid to the development of soft matter computational mechanisms. Embedding computation directly into soft materials is not only necessary for the next generation of fully soft robots but also for smart materials to move beyond stimulus-response relationships and toward the intelligent behaviors seen in biological systems. This article describes soft matter computers (SMCs), low-cost, and easily fabricated computational mechanisms for soft robots. The building block of an SMC is a conductive fluid receptor (CFR), which maps a fluidic input signal to an electrical output signal via electrodes embedded into a soft tube. SMCs could perform both analog and digital computation. The potential of SMCs is demonstrated by integrating them into three soft robots: (i) a Softworm robot was controlled by an SMC that generated the control signals necessary for three distinct gaits; (ii) a soft gripper was given a set of reflexes that could be programmed by adjusting the parameters of the CFR; and (iii) a two–degree of freedom bending actuator was switched between three distinct behaviors by varying only one input parameter. SMCs are a low-cost way to integrate computation directly into soft materials and an important step toward entirely soft autonomous robots.

Electromechanical model-based adaptive control of multilayered dielectric elastomer bending actuator

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Fanghao Zhou ◽  
Jin He ◽  
Mingqi Zhang ◽  
Youhua Xiao ◽  
Chen Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Large Deformation ◽  
Control Strategy ◽  
Low Voltage ◽  
Dynamic Control ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Dielectric Elastomer ◽  
Parameter Uncertainties ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Bending Actuator

Abstract Dielectric elastomer (DE) possesses attributes such as large deformation and fast response. As a typical DE actuating structure, the multilayered DE bending actuator (MDEBA) is lightweight, and can actuate in relatively low voltage without a rigid frame and pre-stretch. These attributes arouse wide research interest in the MDEBA on the application of soft robots. However, due to its large deformation and nonlinear electromechanical dynamics, the control of MDEBA remains highly challenged. Considering the large bending deformation and gravity effect, we develop an electromechanical dynamic model-based control strategy, which can adaptively compensate for the parameter uncertainties during the actuation of MDEBA. Experimental results validate that this control strategy provides highly enhanced control performances compared to the PID controller. The electromechanical modeling method and dynamic control strategy may guide the further study of MDEBA, soft robots, and flexible devices.

The Application of Bioinspired Jumping Locomotion Principles to Mobile Robots: Modeling and Analysis

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omar Gilani ◽  
Pinhas Ben-Tzvi
Keyword(s):  
Mathematical Model ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Mobile Robot ◽  
Mobile Robots ◽  
Robotic Systems ◽  
Modeling And Analysis ◽  
Unstructured Environments ◽  
Model Based ◽  
High Magnitude ◽  
Jumping Robot

Nature provides various alternative locomotion strategies which could be applied to robotic systems. One such strategy is that of jumping, which enables centimeter to millimeter-scaled insects to traverse highly unstructured environments quickly and efficiently. These insects generate the required high magnitude power through specialized structures which store and rapidly release large amounts of energy. This paper presents an investigation into the morphology of natural jumpers and derives a generalized mathematical model based on them. The model describes mathematically the relationships present in a jumping system which uses a pause-and-leap jumping strategy. The use of springs as energy storage elements for such a jumping system is assessed. The discussion is then further extended to another bioinspired approach that can be applied to a jumping robot: that of gliding using foldable wings. The developed jumping and gliding mobility paradigm is analyzed and its feasibility for mobile robot applications is discussed.

scholarly journals Study of Obstacle-Crossing and Pitch Control Characteristic of a Novel Jumping Robot

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 2432
Author(s):  
Jixue Mo ◽  
Ze Yan ◽  
Bing Li ◽  
Fengfeng Xi ◽  
Yao Li
Keyword(s):  
Control Experiment ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Dynamics Model ◽  
Crossing Experiments ◽  
Obstacle Crossing ◽  
Pitch Control ◽  
Good Ability ◽  
Intelligent Optimization Algorithms ◽  
Whale Optimization ◽  
Jumping Robot

In this study, we demonstrated a novel jumping robot that has the ability of accurate obstacle-crossing jumping and aerial pitch control. The novel robot can quickly leap high into the air with a powerful water jet thruster. The robot was designed to overcome multiple general obstacles via accurate jumping. Then a modified whale optimization algorithm (MWOA) was proposed to determine an optimized jumping trajectory according to the form of obstacles. By comparing with classical intelligent optimization algorithms, the MWOA revealed superiority in convergence rate and precision. Besides, the dynamics model of aerial pitch control was built and its effect was verified by the pitch control experiment. Lastly, the robot’s obstacle-crossing experiments were performed and the results validated the robot’s good ability of obstacle-crossing and aerial body righting. We believe the optimization of trajectory and the pitch control are of great help for the jumping robot’s complex jumping and obstacle-crossing performance.

A Quadruped Soft Robot for Climbing Parallel Rods

Robotica ◽  
2020 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Nana Zhu ◽  
Hongbin Zang ◽  
Bing Liao ◽  
Huimin Qi ◽  
Zheng Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Length ◽  
High Voltage ◽  
Control Strategy ◽  
The Body ◽  
Maximum Speed ◽  
Soft Robot ◽  
Climbing Robot ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Bending Actuator ◽  
Moving Speed

SUMMARY Soft robots can perform effectively inspecting than rigid robots in some special environments such as nuclear pipelines and high-voltage cables. This article presents a versatile quadruped soft rod-climbing robot (SR-CR) that consists of four bending actuators and a telescopic actuator. The bending actuator is composed of flexible bellows with multiple folding air chambers, elastic telescopic layer (ETL), and strain-limiting layer (SLL). The telescopic actuator provides the energy for the robot to climb forward. The SR-CR is activated by a control strategy that alternates the body deformation and feet pneumatic clenched for stable climbing. The robot can climb rods at 90°, with the maximum speed of up to 2.33 mm/s (0.018 body length/s). At 0.83 HZ, the maximum moving speed of the robot in climbing horizontally parallel rods can reach 18.43 mm/s. In addition, the SR-CR can also achieve multiple impressive functions, including turning around a corner at a rate of 7 mm/s (0.054 body length/s), carrying a payload of 3.7 times its self-weight on horizontal rods at a speed of 9 mm/s (0.069 body length/s).

The Trade Mark, Other Product Designations, and Goodwill

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Pila
Keyword(s):  
Subject Matter ◽  
Common Law ◽  
Trade Mark ◽  
Geographical Indication ◽  
Passing Off ◽  
Rights Protection ◽  
Essential Properties ◽  
The Subject ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter considers the meaning of the terms that appropriately denote the subject matter protectable by registered trade mark and allied rights, including the common law action of passing off. Drawing on the earlier analyses of the objects protectable by patent and copyright, it defines the trade mark, designation of origin, and geographical indication in their current European and UK conception as hybrid inventions/works in the form of purpose-limited expressive objects. It also considers the relationship between the different requirements for trade mark and allied rights protection, and related principles of entitlement. In its conclusion, the legal understandings of trade mark and allied rights subject matter are presented as answers to the questions identified in Chapter 3 concerning the categories and essential properties of the subject matter in question, their method of individuation, and the relationship between and method of establishing their and their tokens’ existence.

The Subject Matter of Intellectual Property

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justine Pila
Keyword(s):  
Intellectual Property ◽  
Subject Matter ◽  
Final Stage ◽  
Theoretical Framework ◽  
Trade Mark ◽  
Second Stage ◽  
Essential Properties ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Three Stages ◽  
The Relationship

This book offers a study of the subject matter protected by each of the main intellectual property (IP) regimes. With a focus on European and UK law particularly, it considers the meaning of the terms used to denote the objects to which IP rights attach, such as ‘invention’, ‘authorial work’, ‘trade mark’, and ‘design’, with reference to the practice of legal officials and the nature of those objects specifically. To that end it proceeds in three stages. At the first stage, in Chapter 2, the nature, aims, and values of IP rights and systems are considered. As historically and currently conceived, IP rights are limited (and generally transferable) exclusionary rights that attach to certain intellectual creations, broadly conceived, and that serve a range of instrumentalist and deontological ends. At the second stage, in Chapter 3, a theoretical framework for thinking about IP subject matter is proposed with the assistance of certain devices from philosophy. That framework supports a paradigmatic conception of the objects protected by IP rights as artifact types distinguished by their properties and categorized accordingly. From this framework, four questions are derived concerning: the nature of the (categories of) subject matter denoted by the terms ‘invention’, ‘authorial work’, ‘trade mark’, ‘design’ etc, including their essential properties; the means by which each subject matter is individuated within the relevant IP regime; the relationship between each subject matter and its concrete instances; and the manner in which the existence of a subject matter and its concrete instances is known. That leaves the book’s final stage, in Chapters 3 to 7. Here legal officials’ use of the terms above, and understanding of the objects that they denote, are studied, and the results presented as answers to the four questions identified previously.

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