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Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot
Published on: June 10, 2020
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A miniaturized wall-climbing segment robot inspired by caterpillar locomotion
Il Hwan Han1, Hoon Yi, Chang-Woo Song
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Sogang University, 35 Baekbeom-ro, Mapo-gu, Seoul 04107, Republic of Korea.
Bioinspiration & Biomimetics
|May 12, 2017
Summary
This study presents a caterpillar-inspired robot using gecko-like dry adhesive pads for climbing vertical surfaces. The robot achieves fast and stable locomotion through a novel multi-segmented design and solenoid actuators.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Biomimetics
- Materials Science
Background:
- Caterpillars exhibit remarkable climbing abilities in complex environments.
- Developing robots capable of navigating vertical surfaces is a significant challenge in robotics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and develop a multi-segmented robot inspired by caterpillar locomotion for vertical surface climbing.
- To investigate the effectiveness of gecko-inspired dry adhesive pads for robotic climbing.
Main Methods:
- A four-segmented robot was constructed, with each segment utilizing a solenoid actuator and permanent magnet plunger.
- A novel mechanism and Scott-Russell linkages were employed for bi-directional motion of gecko pads.
- Dry adhesive pads made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were fabricated and integrated into the robot design.
- A tail mechanism was added to enhance stability and prevent falls.
Main Results:
- The robot demonstrated reliable attaching and peeling motions of the gecko pads.
- Experiments confirmed the robot's ability to achieve fast and stable climbing on vertical surfaces.
- Two distinct locomotion methods were tested, showcasing the robot's versatility.
Conclusions:
- The developed caterpillar-inspired robot successfully navigates vertical surfaces.
- The combination of gecko-inspired adhesion and a multi-segmented design offers a promising approach for robotic climbing.
- The novel mechanism provides efficient and reliable locomotion for the climbing robot.
