The sweep-extend mechanism: A 10-bar mechanism to perform biologically inspired burrowing motions

Richardson, Robert C.; Nagendran, Arjun; Scott, Robin

doi:10.1016/j.mechatronics.2011.03.002

Cited by 9 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…In addition, a relatively low ratio of olecranon to radius length in moles, compared with that in other scratching diggers, is associated with moderate elbow extension that moves soil outward from the midline rather than rearward. These kinematics patterns contradict earlier speculations (Yalden, 1966) and may have affected the performance of burrowing robots that were built based on them (Richardson et al, 2011;Richardson, 2005, 2006). We suggest that pushing outward from the pectoral region might help moles (and mole-inspired robots) exert the highest possible forces (Hisaw, 1923).…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 64%

“…Researchers have long speculated about joint motion and burrowing mechanisms in fossorial tetrapods based on the morphological specializations of their forelimbs (Archer et al, 2011;Chen and Wilson, 2015;Hopkins and Davis, 2009;Kley and Kearney, 2007;Moore et al, 2013;Olson et al, 2016;Pritchard et al, 2016;Reed, 1951;Rose et al, 2013;Rupert et al, 2015;Stein, 2000;Woodman and Gaffney, 2014;Yalden, 1966). More recently, burrowing robots have been designed largely based on these speculations (Richardson et al, 2011;Richardson, 2005, 2006). Although frequently invoked, the structure-function relationship between morphological specializations and associated joint movements during mole burrowing has rarely been tested directly.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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How moles destroy your lawn: the forelimb kinematics of Eastern moles in loose and compact substrates

Lin

Konow

Dumont

2019

Journal of Experimental Biology

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The interplay between morphological specialization and kinematic flexibility is important for organisms that move between habitats within different substrates. Burrowing is energetically expensive and requires substantial interaction with soil to dislodge and transport it. True moles (Talpidae) have extraordinary forelimb morphologies and a unique ability to dig in loose as well as compact soils, yet we know little of how moles coordinate their forelimb joint kinematics when digging in soils of different compactness. Using marker-based X-ray Reconstruction of Moving Morphology (XROMM), we tested the hypothesis that moles burrow using different forelimb kinematics in loose and compact substrates. We predicted that moles raise mounds of loose soil by performing powerful compacting strokes mainly with long-axis rotation of the humerus (i.e. pronation/ supination), but shear compact soil away by performing scratching strokes involving amplified elbow extension, similar to most scratching diggers. We also predicted that in both types of substrate, moles displace soil rearward like other mammalian diggers. Our results support our hypothesis but not the predictions. Eastern moles (Scalopus aquaticus) move substrates upward using compacting strokes in loose substrates and outward from the body midline using scratching strokes in compact substrates; unlike the digging strokes of most mammalian forelimb diggers, the powerstroke of moles itself does not displace substrates directly rearward. Compacting and scratching strokes involve similar ranges of humeral pronation and retraction at the scapulohumeral (shoulder) joint, yet the movements at the elbow and carpal joints differ. Our results demonstrate that the combination of stereotypic movements of the shoulder joint, where the largest digging muscles are located, and flexibility in the elbow and carpal joints makes moles extremely effective diggers in both loose and compact substrates.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 64%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How moles destroy your lawn: the forelimb kinematics of Eastern moles in loose and compact substrates

Lin

Konow

Dumont

2019

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…Recent years have seen growing interest in building robots to operate in granular media, with many potential modes of burrowing explored. As summarized by ( Wei et al, 2021 ), various burrowing robots draw inspiration from biological organisms, including moles ( Richter et al, 2002 ; Kubota et al, 2007 ; Richardson et al, 2011 ; Lee et al, 2019 ; Olaf et al, 2019 ), worms ( Omori et al, 2013 ; Tang et al, 2015 ; Fujiwara et al, 2018 ; Isaka et al, 2019 ; Liu et al, 2019 ; Ortiz et al, 2019 ; Das et al, 2020 ; Alhart, 2021 ), plant roots ( Sadeghi et al, 2014 , 2017 ), sandfish ( Maladen et al, 2011 ) and bivalves ( Germann and Carbajal, 2013 ; Winter et al, 2014 ; Tao et al, 2020 ), among others. Several works aim to draw inspiration from mole crabs to create robots with legged locomotive capabilities; Russell (2011) created a robot with external flapping fins which, due to feathering on the return stroke, can locomote in horizontal planes of motion.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mole crab-inspired vertical self-burrowing

2022

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We present EMBUR—EMerita BUrrowing Robot—the first legged robot inspired by the Pacific mole crab, Emerita analoga, capable of burrowing vertically downward. We choose Emerita analoga as a model organism for its rapid downward burrowing behaviors, as it is four times as fast as the most rapid bivalve mollusk. Vertical burrowing in granular media is a challenging endeavor due to the tendency for the media to create upwards resistive forces on an intruder, even during purely horizontal motions. Our robot is capable of vertically burrowing its body in granular substrate primarily through excavation using two leg pairs, which are functionally analogous to groupings of leg pairs of the mole crab. We implement a novel leg mechanism with a sweeping trajectory, using compliant fabric to enable an anisotropic force response. The maximum resistive force during the power stroke is 6.4 times that of the return stroke. We compare robot body pitch and spatial trajectories with results from biomechanical studies of the mole crabs. We characterize the sensitivity of the robot to initial depth, body pitch and leg pose, and propose bounds on initial conditions which predict various burrowing failure modes. Parametric studies utilizing Granular Resistive Force Theory inform our understanding of robot behavior in response to leg phasing and orientation. Not only does this robotic platform represent the first robophysical model of vertical mole crab-inspired burrowing, it is also one of the first legged, primarily excavative small-scale burrowing agents.

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“…As early as 1997, Gromov et al were the first to propose a mole‐inspired burrowing robot for planetary soil exploration, which had a diameter of 19 mm, a length of 325 mm, a mass of 400 g, and an average power consumption of 2 W. [ 36 ] In 2002, building upon this work, Lutz Richter et al further proposed the PLUTO robot [ 37 ] by utilizing an internal hammering mechanism driven by a small motor to drill into loose to medium‐dense soil, which had a weight of 900 g, a length of 380 mm, and a diameter of 20 mm. In 2007, C. Stoker et al developed the small‐size, light‐weight, and low‐power MMUM robot, [ 38 ] which had a total mass of 2000 g, a diameter of 40 mm, a total length of 600 mm, and a maximum power of 10 W. In 2011, R Richardson et al proposed the USAR, [ 39 ] a small mobile burrowing robot equipped with a double four‐bar burrowing mechanism, a unidirectional and continuous rotational motor, a small reverse brake recoil, and high continuous burrowing efficiency. In 2014, scientists from DLR developed the heat flow probe HP3 [ 30,40,41 ] for the Insight mission, which had a total mass of 935 g, a diameter of 27 mm, a total length of 400 mm, and a maximum power of 5 W. Currently, only two such robots have been used in planetary soil exploration missions: the PLUTO carried by the Mars Express lander and the HP3 carried by the Insight lander.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mole‐Inspired Robot Burrowing with Forelimbs for Planetary Soil Exploration

Zhang,

Wei,

Zheng

et al. 2024

Advanced Intelligent Systems

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The biological world serves as a vast reservoir of inspiration for human innovation, particularly in the realm of robotics designed to navigate intricate granular environments. Among these creatures adept at burrowing, the mole stands out due to its exceptional body structure and unparalleled efficiency, surpassing most engineering burrowing systems. Consequently, the mole serves as an ideal model for designing highly efficient burrowing robots. This study introduces a mole‐inspired robot burrowing with forelimbs, specifically designed for planetary soil exploration. By closely examining the distinctive body morphology of moles, a forelimb burrowing mechanism is devised through biomimetic mapping, and its kinematics is thoroughly analyzed. A robot prototype is developed and an experimental setup is constructed to evaluate its burrowing performance. A series of tests are conducted to assess the capabilities of the robot, including forelimb burrowing, robot crawling, and robot burrowing. The results demonstrate that the proposed mole‐inspired burrowing robot is capable of crawling and burrowing to a certain depth using its forelimbs. Although it exhibits some upward displacement, this issue can be mitigated by modifying the head configuration and adjusting the forelimb posture to effectively overcome the vertical stress and lift force exerted by granular soils due to intensity gradient.

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The sweep-extend mechanism: A 10-bar mechanism to perform biologically inspired burrowing motions

Cited by 9 publications

References 11 publications

How moles destroy your lawn: the forelimb kinematics of Eastern moles in loose and compact substrates

How moles destroy your lawn: the forelimb kinematics of Eastern moles in loose and compact substrates

Mole crab-inspired vertical self-burrowing

Mole‐Inspired Robot Burrowing with Forelimbs for Planetary Soil Exploration

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