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Updated: Sep 13, 2025
07:40
Manufacturing, Control, and Performance Evaluation of a Gecko-Inspired Soft Robot
Published on: June 10, 2020
14.8K
A pivot joint steering mechanism for tip-everting soft growing robots
Tianchen Ji1, Zheyuan Bi1, Lin Cao1
1School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom.
Frontiers in Robotics and AI
|August 1, 2025
Summary
Soft growing robots (SGRs) achieve controlled navigation in confined spaces using a novel steering mechanism. This innovation enables precise directional growth for inspection and rescue applications.
Area of Science:
- Robotics
- Mechanical Engineering
Background:
- Soft growing robots (SGRs) offer unique advantages for navigating confined spaces through material eversion.
- Controlling the direction of SGR tip growth remains a significant challenge due to the dynamic nature of the growing tip.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a compact steering mechanism for SGRs that enables controlled directional growth.
- To address the challenge of precise tip steering in SGRs without complex external systems.
Main Methods:
- Integration of a tendon-driven pivot joint with a pressure-tunable internal bladder to modulate friction.
- Development of a robotic platform to implement and test the steering mechanism.
- Validation through kinematic modeling and experimental characterization.
Main Results:
- The mechanism successfully enables localized bending and subsequent directional growth of the SGR.
- Experimental results demonstrate reliable tip steering that closely matches kinematic models.
- The robot interacts gently with its environment, showcasing the mechanism's suitability for delicate tasks.
Conclusions:
- The proposed steering mechanism provides a scalable and structurally simple solution for enhanced long-range navigation in SGRs.
- This advancement facilitates the application of SGRs in inspection, search, and rescue operations within complex environments.
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