A Worm-Inspired Robot Flexibly Steering on Horizontal and Vertical Surfaces
<p>Skeleton structure unit of the first three segments of the robot. Each unit consists of three cylinders, a pair of pneumatic suckers, and a miniature motor.</p> "> Figure 2
<p>The position of the feet under the control of the miniature motor: (<b>a</b>) the feet are lowered down when the segment is stationary; (<b>b</b>) the feet is lifted up before the segment’s motion starts.</p> "> Figure 3
<p>Top view of the overall structure of the steering mechanism. The two adjacent segment units are connected by a bearing hinge. There are two tendons on the both sides of the robot.</p> "> Figure 4
<p>A diagram of the air circuit that consists of two pumps, nine valves, three sets of cylinders, and four pairs of suction cups: yellow represents the positive pressure generated by the first air pump, blue represents the negative pressure generated by the second air pump, gray represents the atmospheric pressure, and the direction of the arrow is the transmission direction of the air pressure signal. This figure does not cover the up and down motion of the feet controlled by motors.</p> "> Figure 5
<p>Four motion phases in a single cycle of the straight crawling process.</p> "> Figure 6
<p>Steering crawling process in a single cycle.</p> "> Figure 7
<p>The solenoid valves’ control signal during the motion cycle of the robot. As shown in <a href="#applsci-09-02168-f004" class="html-fig">Figure 4</a>, valves 1–3 control the pressure in suction cups, and valves 4–9 control the pressure in the cylinders of segments 1–3. If the solenoid valve receives high potential, the cylinder will be connected to the air pump, and if it’s low potential, the cylinder will be connected to the atmosphere.</p> "> Figure 8
<p>A simplified geometric model of the robot in Phase 1, where MN is the cylinder of Segment 1, NO is the cylinder of the Segment 2, and OP is the cylinder of Segment 3: (<b>a</b>) The state at the beginning of Phase 1; (<b>b</b>) The state at the end of Phase 1; (<b>c</b>) The simplified model after the introduction of the springs.</p> "> Figure 9
<p>Theoretical relationship and experimental results between the values of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and the values of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> at the end of Phase 1. From the figure, we can see that <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> is always less than <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math>, because there is a friction force on the tendon. (<b>a</b>) When <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> is 20°, the relationship between the values of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and the value of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math>; (<b>b</b>) when <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> is <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <mn>400</mn> <mrow> <mtext> </mtext> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </mrow> </semantics></math>, the relationship between the values of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and the value of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math>.</p> "> Figure 10
<p>(<b>a</b>) A simplified geometric model of the robot at the end of Phase 2, where ON is the cylinder of Segment 2; (<b>b</b>) A simplified geometric model of the robot at the end of Phase 3, where PO is the cylinder of Segment 3.</p> "> Figure 11
<p>The relationship between the values of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math>, and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mi>φ</mi> </semantics></math> at the end of Phase 1 and the number of cycles T (at the initial phase: <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>400</mn> <mtext> </mtext> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> = 20°): (<b>a</b>) The curve of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math>, and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> changing with the number of cycles T; (<b>b</b>) the curve of steering angle <math display="inline"><semantics> <mi>φ</mi> </semantics></math> and cumulative steering angle <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <mo>∑</mo> <mi>φ</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math> changing with the number of cycles T.</p> "> Figure 12
<p>(<b>a</b>) Simulation diagram of the motion trajectory of the robot. The blue dotted line in the figure indicates the trajectory of the robot’s center point in 120 cycles (at the initial phase: <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>400</mn> <mtext> </mtext> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>). The red line in the figure indicates the specific position and posture of the robot when T = 0, T = 30, T = 60, and T = 90. The red dot in the figure is the three bearing hinge points of the robot. It can be seen that during the steering process, the motion trajectory of the robot is circular, and the radius is related to the initial state. (<b>b</b>) In a particular case, the robot can avoid an obstacle through adjusting the values of <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> at each of the following points: 1) A: <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>534</mn> <mo> </mo> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>390</mn> <mo> </mo> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>; 2) B: <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>400</mn> <mo> </mo> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>523</mn> <mo> </mo> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>; 3) C: <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>534</mn> <mo> </mo> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>390</mn> <mo> </mo> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>; and 4) D: <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>461.4</mn> <mo> </mo> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>461.4</mn> <mo> </mo> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>.</p> "> Figure 13
<p>Performance demonstration of the robot climbing a vertical glass surface: (<b>a</b>) photos of a gait sequence on a vertical glass surface; (<b>b</b>) the locomotion of the robot in two minutes on a vertical glass surface; (<b>c</b>) the locomotion of the robot in 2 minutes on a painted wooden door.</p> "> Figure 14
<p>A simplified force model of the robot in Phase 1 after the introduction of gravity, where O1 is the gravity center of Segment 1, O4 is the gravity center of Segment 4, and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msup> <mi>φ</mi> <mo>′</mo> </msup> </mrow> </semantics></math> is the angle between Segment 2 and the vertical direction.</p> "> Figure 15
<p>(<b>a</b>) Trajectory diagram of the climbing motion on a vertical surface in 120 cycles. At the initial phase (<math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>L</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>400</mn> <mtext> </mtext> <mi>mm</mi> </mrow> </semantics></math>, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>2</mn> </msub> <mo> </mo> </mrow> </semantics></math>= 20°), the trajectory can be regarded as a circle. (<b>b</b>) The relationship between the diameter of the circle and the length of tendon <span class="html-italic">L</span><sub>2</sub> in different motion patterns at the initial phase: <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>φ</mi> <mn>0</mn> </msub> <mo>=</mo> <mn>0</mn> </mrow> </semantics></math>.</p> "> Figure 16
<p>The force diagram at a certain point during Phase 1: (<b>a</b>) the force on Segment 1; (<b>b</b>) the force on Segment 4. In the diagram, <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>1</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> and <math display="inline"><semantics> <mrow> <msub> <mi>θ</mi> <mn>3</mn> </msub> </mrow> </semantics></math> are the deflection angles of segments 1 and 3, and x is the cylinder elongation.</p> "> Figure 17
<p>(<b>a</b>) A brief diagram of the force in Segment 2 at a certain point during Phase 2; (<b>b</b>) a brief diagram of the force in Segment 3 at a certain point during Phase 3. The dotted line in the diagram is the initial position before the movement.</p> "> Figure 18
<p>A diagram showing the relationship between the thrust, the deflection angles of each segment, and the cylinder elongation <span class="html-italic">x</span>. Segments 2 and 3 have relatively higher thrust and thus have better load capacity, while Segment 1 and Segment 4 should be specially designed to reduce their weight.</p> ">
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Structural Design and Fabrication
2.1. The Structural Design of the Skeleton
2.2. The Design of the Steering Mechanism
2.3. The Design of the Gas Circuit and the Electric Circuit
3. Motion Process Analysis and Experiment on Horizontal Platform
3.1. Worm-Inspired Motion Process
3.2. Crawling Process Analysis
4. Climbing Performance Analysis and Experiments
4.1. Climbing Process Analysis
4.2. Thrust Force and Load Capacity
5. Conclusions and Future Work
Author Contributions
Funding
Acknowledgments
Conflicts of Interest
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Inner Diameter | Total Minimal Length | Piston Stroke | Maximum Working Pressure |
---|---|---|---|
16 mm | 75 mm | 25 mm | ±0.7 MPa |
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Yang, W.; Zhang, W. A Worm-Inspired Robot Flexibly Steering on Horizontal and Vertical Surfaces. Appl. Sci. 2019, 9, 2168. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9102168
Yang W, Zhang W. A Worm-Inspired Robot Flexibly Steering on Horizontal and Vertical Surfaces. Applied Sciences. 2019; 9(10):2168. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9102168
Chicago/Turabian StyleYang, Wenhao, and Wenzeng Zhang. 2019. "A Worm-Inspired Robot Flexibly Steering on Horizontal and Vertical Surfaces" Applied Sciences 9, no. 10: 2168. https://doi.org/10.3390/app9102168