Article
Robotics
Sa-Reum Kim, Dae-Young Lee, Sang-Joon Ahn, Je-Sung Koh, Kyu-Jin Cho
Summary: The article introduces a three-dimensional shape-shifting system that addresses the stability issue of shape memory alloy wire actuators by tuning the structural characteristics of morphing origami blocks. This cooperative scheme enhances the reversibility and stability of the shape-shifting system, enabling rapid transformation with high degrees of freedom, unlike existing programmable origami. As a stand-alone transformation unit, the morphing block equipped with deployable mechanisms and actuators weighs 6 g, has a volume change factor of ten, can complete transformation in less than 5 s in both directions, and can carry more than 120 g of payload in the deployed state.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Yuwei Ju, Run Hu, Yan Xie, Jianpeng Yao, Xiaoxiang Li, Yiliang Lv, Xiaotao Han, Quanliang Cao, Liang Li
Summary: Magnetic soft robots have gained increasing attention for their advantages and potential applications, with a new method for flexible and reconfigurable magnetization distribution. Various superior magnetic soft robots have been developed, paving the way for practical applications and future development of soft robots.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Dinesh K. K. Patel, Xiaonan Huang, Yichi Luo, Mrunmayi Mungekar, M. Khalid Jawed, Lining Yao, Carmel Majidi
Summary: This study achieves multimodal locomotion of soft robots using highly compact and dynamic bistable soft actuators. These actuators can swiftly transform between two oppositely curved states and generate a force of 0.3 N. The consistency and robustness of the actuator response are experimentally validated. The compact and fast-responding properties of the soft bistable actuator allow it to be used as an artificial muscle for shape-reconfigurable soft robots capable of multiple modes of SMA-powered locomotion.
ADVANCED MATERIALS TECHNOLOGIES
(2023)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Hao Sun, Junjie Yang, Yinghao Jia, Changhong Wang
Summary: This article proposes a free gait generation algorithm that only takes the robot state as input. By introducing the feasible impulse polytope, which takes into account both linear and angular momentum impulses acting on the body, a leg capability metric related to the effect of take-off and touch-down on the body motion is formulated. Gait sequence, take-off timing, and touch-down location can be automatically adjusted online based on a metric threshold.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Jingkai Feng, Jinguo Liu
Summary: This article discusses the impact of modular and reconfigurable design on the limbs of a hexapod robot, as well as presents methods to address configuration enumeration and expression issues. Simulation analysis confirms the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed methods in the nonisomorphic configuration enumeration of the modular reconfigurable robot.
JOURNAL OF MECHANISMS AND ROBOTICS-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME
(2022)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Autumn Pratt, Patrick Wilcox, Caroline Hanson, Robert F. Shepherd
Summary: This article introduces the concept of tensegristat robots, which mimic the structure of muscular hydrostats and allow large-scale shape changes and separate control of stiffness and motion.
IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Qing Shi, Junhui Gao, Shengjie Wang, Xiaolong Quan, Guanglu Jia, Qiang Huang, Toshio Fukuda
Summary: A small-sized quadruped robotic rat (SQuRo) was developed, inspired by the movement characteristics of rats, with excellent motion performance and environmental adaptability, as well as the ability to recover from falls.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ziyu Ren, Metin Sitti
Summary: This article describes the entire process of developing small-scale magnetic soft-bodied millirobots with multimodal locomotion capability, including robot design, material preparation, fabrication, control, and optimization. Different robots with various locomotion modes and functions can be designed according to specific applications. This protocol is suitable for users with basic expertise in soft robot development.
Article
Robotics
Wei Cheah, Keir Groves, Horatio Martin, Harriet Peel, Simon Watson, Ognjen Marjanovic, Barry Lennox
Summary: The development of mobile robot platforms for inspection has advanced, but traditional robots cannot handle extreme environments. The MIRRAX robot addresses these challenges with its reconfigurable capability, and experimental validation proves its performance and controllability, as demonstrated in the deployment at the Magnox nuclear facility.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
(2023)
Article
Robotics
Yunha Park, Joohyeon Kang, Youngjin Na
Summary: Inflatable origami structures have great potential in robotics due to their ability to achieve fast, customizable, large deformations, and three-dimensional shape morphing. In this study, we developed a new modular origami block that allows for reconfigurable shape transformations. With a paper-based block design and foldable pneumatic passages, each block can be manually inflated using a single pressure input. The results showed promising mechanical properties and the potential for multifunctional applications.
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jiayu Ding, Talia Y. Moore, Zhenyu Gan
Summary: Researchers developed a simulated jerboa model to investigate the mechanisms of gait transitions in non-cursorial animals. Results showed that coupled changes and uncoupled models of the neutral leg swing angle are the two primary mechanisms that influence gait transitions.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Henry Chang, Justin Chang, Glenna Clifton, Nick Gravish
Summary: This study investigated a passive method for overcoming swing-collisions in legged locomotion by implementing virtual compliance control in a robot leg. The virtual compliance methods improved the successful negotiation of step obstacles by over 70%, highlighting the importance of limb compliance in enhancing walking performance in naturalistic environments.
BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS
(2021)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Gugyeong Sung, Kyoungchul Kong, Jungsu Choi
Summary: Unlike able-bodied humans, people with paraplegia are unable to control their center of gravity. Powered exoskeletons, although they have been used to assist people with paraplegia to walk similarly to able-bodied people, may not be the best option because they are limited in their degrees of freedom and cannot help control the center of gravity. Therefore, research is needed to develop a suitable gait pattern for people with paraplegia wearing powered exoskeletons.
IEEE ROBOTICS & AUTOMATION MAGAZINE
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Max Austin, Ashley Chase, Brian Van Stratum, Jonathan E. Clark
Summary: This study investigates multi-modal limb locomotion and develops a limb aquatic-scansorial multi-modal robot.
BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Qinyu Li, Rujie Sun, Antoine Le Duigou, Jianglong Guo, Jonathan Rossiter, Liwu Liu, Jinsong Leng, Fabrizio Scarpa
Summary: Humidity responsive materials, based on natural fibers and shape memory polymers, have been developed for soft robotics and deployable structures. These programmable composite materials can achieve shape changes in different humidity conditions, and demonstrate high stiffness for structural load-bearing applications. The multifunctional capabilities of these bio-based hygro-thermo composites are demonstrated in bio-robotic grasping and electro-adhesive gripping.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2022)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Kuangen Zhang, Jing Xu, Heping Chen, Jianguo Zhao, Ken Chen
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON INDUSTRIAL ELECTRONICS
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Mechanical
Anthony DeMario, Jianguo Zhao
JOURNAL OF MECHANISMS AND ROBOTICS-TRANSACTIONS OF THE ASME
(2018)
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Xintian Tang, Yingxiang Liu, Kai Li, Weishan Chen, Jianguo Zhao
MATERIALS RESEARCH EXPRESS
(2018)
Article
Engineering, Electrical & Electronic
Xintian Tang, Kai Li, Weishan Chen, Dong Zhou, Shenghui Liu, Jianguo Zhao, Yingxiang Liu
SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL
(2019)
Article
Instruments & Instrumentation
Xintian Tang, Kai Li, Yingxiang Liu, Dong Zhou, Jianguo Zhao
SMART MATERIALS AND STRUCTURES
(2019)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Benjamin Pawlowski, Jiefeng Sun, Jing Xu, Yingxiang Liu, Jianguo Zhao
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2019)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Pan Liu, Sanjay P. Sane, Jean-Michel Mongeau, Jianguo Zhao, Bo Cheng
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yichao Tang, Yinding Chi, Jiefeng Sun, Tzu-Hao Huang, Omid H. Maghsoudi, Andrew Spence, Jianguo Zhao, Hao Su, Jie Yin
Article
Automation & Control Systems
Haijie Zhang, Elisha Lerner, Bo Cheng, Jianguo Zhao
Summary: The article presents a novel perching mechanism design and experiment using a low-cost 3D-printed gripper with bistability. This gripper has two unique characteristics: it can passively switch between open and closed states using bistability, and it has two perching methods for objects of different sizes. The gripper design is analyzed theoretically and experimentally verified, and it is integrated into a palm-size quadcopter for successful perching and aerial grasping. The design strategy of the bistable gripper can be applied to both small and large-size MAVs for energy efficient perching and aerial grasping.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2021)
Article
Robotics
Jiefeng Sun, Jianguo Zhao
Summary: A general framework for modeling TCAs using Cosserat rod theory is established in this study, which can accurately capture the nonlinearity of large deformations and simulate TCAs with nonuniform geometries. Comprehensive statics and dynamics experiments show that the proposed model is more accurate than existing ones, especially when TCAs undergo large deformations.
IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON ROBOTICS
(2022)
Article
Automation & Control Systems
HaoTse Hsiao, Jiefeng Sun, Haijie Zhang, Jianguo Zhao
Summary: This article presents a mechanically intelligent and passive (MIP) gripper that can be used for aerial perching or grasping without any actuator. The gripper has a mechanical mechanism for dampening impact and robustly grasping objects. Static models are established to predict the required forces for successful state transitions, and design guidelines are developed for the gripper to be adaptable to different flying robots with varying weights. Experiments validate the models, demonstrating the gripper's capability for aerial perching and grasping.
IEEE-ASME TRANSACTIONS ON MECHATRONICS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Wei Wang, Jiefeng Sun, Sravanthi Vallabhuneni, Benjamin Pawlowski, Hamed Vahabi, Kimberly Nellenbach, Ashley C. Brown, Frank Scholle, Jianguo Zhao, Arun K. Kota
Summary: The recent global outbreaks of epidemics and pandemics have highlighted the lack of preparedness in dealing with infectious agents. The study introduces a novel biofluid manipulator that enables on-demand remote and lossless manipulation of liquid droplets. This technology has the potential to reduce the risk of infectious diseases and pave the way for developing inexpensive, simple and portable robotic systems.
MATERIALS HORIZONS
(2022)
Article
Robotics
Jiefeng Sun, Jianguo Zhao
IEEE ROBOTICS AND AUTOMATION LETTERS
(2019)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Haijie Zhang, Bo Cheng, Jianguo Zhao
BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS
(2019)