Rolling Locomotion of Cable-Driven Soft Spherical Tensegrity Robots

Abstract

Soft spherical tensegrity robots are novel steerable mobile robotic platforms that are compliant, lightweight, and robust. The geometry of these robots is suitable for rolling locomotion, and they achieve this motion by properly deforming their structures using carefully chosen actuation strategies. The objective of this work is to consolidate and add to our research to date on methods for realizing rolling locomotion of spherical tensegrity robots. To predict the deformation of tensegrity structures when their member forces are varied, we introduce a modified version of the dynamic relaxation technique and apply it to our tensegrity robots. In addition, we present two techniques to find desirable deformations and actuation strategies that would result in robust rolling locomotion of the robots. The first one relies on the greedy search that can quickly find solutions, and the second one uses a multigeneration Monte Carlo method that can find suboptimal solutions with a higher quality. The methods are illustrated and validated both in simulation and with our hardware robots, which show that our methods are viable means of realizing robust and steerable rolling locomotion of spherical tensegrity robots.

Fundamental parameters for a minimal mass design of prismatic tensegrity cylinder subjected to a compressive force

“…Inspired by their regularity, various types of multi-unit tensegrities have originated from connecting prismatic cells and some assembly strategies can be found in Fazli and Abedian (2011), Liu et al (2017); Xu and Luo (2010). However, their practical uses might lead to modifications of the prisms to achieve a given purpose (Caluwaerts et al , 2016; Iscen et al , 2013; Kim et al , 2020). It is distinguished in Kawaguchi and Lu (2002) a pair of cones of a three-strut tension system constructed to support the structures for a membrane roof.…”

Form-finding of Tensegrity Structures Utilizing a Nonlinear Fletcher-Reeves Conjugate Gradient Method

“…The name of tensegrity is presented by architect Fuller, because of its unique features it has been full developed in many fields such as the soft tensegrity robot and body bionics fields [1].…”

Static Analysis of Six Bar Tensegrity Ball Structure Robot

“…The entire structure stands by itself and maintains its form solely because of the internal arrangement of the strings and the bars [5][6][7][8]. Tensegrity structures were used only in arts and architecture in the early1960s [18][19][20][21]. These structures are also used in space applications due to super deplorability [22,23].…”