Background

Under-actuated compliant systems have grown in prevalence in recent years in the soft robotics area. The coupled stiffness and damping characteristics of system structure and materials of these systems enable robotic systems for tasks including locomotion and gripping. Legged robots in particular exhibit superior maneuverability in intricate and cluttered terrains compared to wheeled and tracked counterparts. However, these systems heavily depend on intricate actuation and control systems for propulsion and navigation, which results in larger robot sizes, heightened power requirements, and increased fabrication costs.

Invention Description

Researchers at Arizona State University have developed a novel lightweight quadruped robot using dual brushless motors and soft twisted beams to achieve multiple locomotion modes with minimal actuation complexity. This robot can perform various movements by adjusting the frequency and direction of the actuator vibrations. This design reduces actuation and control complexity, fabrication cost, and power requirements, making it suitable for scalable production and applications in confined or cluttered environments.

Potential Applications:

• Swarm robotics (e.g., complex terrain exploration, environmental monitoring)
• Search & rescue operations (e.g., confined or hazardous environments)
• Inspection & maintenance (e.g., cluttered industrial or infrastructure settings)
• Lightweight robotic systems (e.g., agile locomotion in confined spaces)

Benefits and Advantages:

• Significantly reduced number of actuators – uses vibration actuation and compliant soft twisted beams
• Lightweight & compact design – suitable for centimeter-scale robots
• Simple fabrication process – one-time 3D printing of soft beams
• Accurate simulation & optimization of robot behavior – use of dynamic modeling
• Cost-effective – easily mass-producible for swarm robotics and exploration tasks

Related Publication: Vibration of Soft, Twisted Beams for Under-Actuated Quadrupedal Locomotion