An Actuation System using a Hydrostatic Skeleton and a Shape Memory Alloy for Earthworm-like Soft Robots
An Actuation System using a Hydrostatic Skeleton and a Shape Memory Alloy for Earthworm-like Soft Robots
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DOI：
10.1109/sii52469.2022.9708807
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发表时间：
2022-01
期刊：
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Kazuma Matsushita;M. Ikeda;Keung Or;Ryuma Niiyama;Y. Kuniyoshi
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Kazuma Matsushita;M. Ikeda;Keung Or;Ryuma Niiyama;Y. Kuniyoshi
已经提出了许多模仿生物体的软机器人。蚯蚓机器人是一种模仿蚯蚓蠕动运动的机器人。工程再现蚯蚓的挖洞运动，对于土壤调查和土壤中颗粒的搅拌是有用的。在这项研究中，一种新型的紧凑型驱动系统，可以安装在小型蚯蚓般的机器人。该系统可输出轴向伸展力，适用于驱动类蚯蚓机器人在土壤中蠕动运动。利用充水橡胶状树脂和形状记忆合金（SMA）再现蚯蚓的静水骨架和圆周肌肉排列，制成蚯蚓机器人的驱动系统。我们证实，所提出的系统可以输出轴向延伸力，通过施加电流到驱动系统的SMA。因此，制造的致动系统是有用的蚯蚓状机器人挖洞。该系统可广泛应用于类蚯蚓以及小型软体机器人，以方便地获得伸展力。
Numerous soft robots that mimic living organisms have been proposed. Earthworm robots are a type of robots that imitate the peristaltic locomotion of earthworms. Engineering reproduction of the burrowing motion of earthworms is useful for soil investigation and stirring of the particles in the soil. In this study, a novel compact actuation system that can be mounted on small earthworm-like robots was developed. The system can output axial extension force and is suitable for enabling earthworm-like robots to drive peristaltic locomotion in soil. The actuation system for an earthworm robot was fabricated by reproducing the hydrostatic skeleton and circumferential muscle arrangement of the earthworm using a water-filled rubber-like resin and shape memory alloy (SMA). We confirmed that the proposed system can output the axial extension force by applying an electric current to the SMA of the actuation system. Thus, the fabricated actuation system is useful for earthworm-like robots that dig holes. This system can be extensively used in earthworm-like as well as small soft robots to easily obtain the extension force.