Open AccessInter-Module Physical Interactions: A Force-Transmissive Modular Structure for Whole-Body Robot Motion
Author(s) -
Shiqi Yu,
Yoshihiro Nakata,
Yutaka Nakamura,
Hiroshi Ishiguro
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of robotics and mechatronics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.257
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1883-8049
pISSN - 0915-3942
DOI - 10.20965/jrm.2021.p1190
Subject(s) - modular design , robot , self reconfiguring modular robot , computer science , realization (probability) , motion (physics) , coupling (piping) , transmission (telecommunications) , control engineering , simulation , robot control , mobile robot , artificial intelligence , engineering , mechanical engineering , telecommunications , statistics , mathematics , operating system
Robots are required to be significantly compliant and versatile to work in unstructured environments. In a number of studies, robots have positively exploited the environments during interactions and completed tasks from a morphological viewpoint. Modular robots can help realize real-world adaptive robots. Researchers have been investigating the actuation, coupling, and communication mechanisms among these robots to realize versatility. However, the diverse force transmission among modules needs to be further studied to achieve the adaptive whole-body dynamics of a robot. In this study, we fabricated a modular robot and proposed the realization of force transmission on this robot, by constructing fluid transferable network systems on the actuation modules. By exploiting the physical property variations of the modular robot, our experimental results prove that the robot’s motion can be changed by switching the connection pattern of the system.