Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 4, 2026
11:06
Design and Fabrication of an Elastomeric Unit for Soft Modular Robots in Minimally Invasive Surgery
Published on: November 14, 2015
8.9K
Design and mechanical analysis of a novel modular bionic earthworm robot with upright functionality
Shufeng Tang1,2, Jianan Yao3,4, Yue Yu5
1College of Science, Inner Mongolia University of Technology, Hohhot, 010051, China. tangshufeng@imut.edu.cn.
Scientific Reports
|January 30, 2025
Summary
This study introduces an innovative bionic robot with programmable stiffness and upright functionality, overcoming limitations of current designs for confined space exploration. The new robot module can achieve an upright posture and adapt stiffness for diverse environments.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Biomimetics
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Human access to hazardous and confined spaces is limited.
- Existing bionic robots lack upright functionality and stiffness modulation.
- Earthworm-inspired robots often struggle with these limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an innovative bionic robot with upright capability and programmable stiffness.
- To address limitations of current bionic earthworm robots.
- To enhance robot adaptability for complex environments.
Main Methods:
- Designed a bionic robot unit module capable of achieving an upright posture.
- Developed a mechanical model based on the principle of minimum potential energy for compression and deflection.
- Conducted simulations and experiments to validate the model and investigate stiffness effects.
- Constructed and evaluated a multi-module robot.
Main Results:
- Validated the mechanical model's precision in predicting compression and deformation.
- Demonstrated the impact of varying spring stiffness (k) on module performance.
- Successfully evaluated the multi-module robot's upright functionality under various conditions.
- Achieved programmable stiffness for enhanced environmental adaptability.
Conclusions:
- The proposed bionic robot structure offers enhanced ease of control.
- Programmable stiffness allows adaptation to diverse environmental demands.
- The robot shows significant potential for applications in complex and unstructured environments.
