An Analysis of Peristaltic Locomotion for Maximizing Velocity or Minimizing Cost of Transport of Earthworm-Like Robots
An Analysis of Peristaltic Locomotion for Maximizing Velocity or Minimizing Cost of Transport of Earthworm-Like Robots
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DOI：
10.1089/soro.2020.0021
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发表时间：
2020-08-25
期刊：
影响因子：
7.9
通讯作者：
Daltorio, Kathryn A.
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Kandhari, Akhil;Wang, Yifan;Daltorio, Kathryn A.
类似蚯蚓的蠕动运动已在超过50个机器人中实现，在其他难以到达的地形中有许多潜在应用。蠕动运动的设计指南来自于生物学的观察，但机器人已经根据经验探索了与生物有机体中观察到的不同的结构，致动器和控制波形形状。在这项研究中，我们提出了一个模板分析的基础上进行梁变形的简化段。该分析使得能够计算结构运动所需的最小功率和最大运动速度。因此，设计关系示出，适用于蠕动机器人和潜在的蚯蚓。具体而言，虽然通过移动尽可能多的段来最大化速度，但是通过移动更少的段来优化运输成本（COT）。此外，软段或相对硬段都是可能的，但刚度的各向异性是重要的。实验上，我们表明，我们的机器人，这种方法预测控制波形（相当于不同的步态）对应于最小的输入功率或最大的速度。我们将我们的分析扩展到150个片段（类似于蚯蚓），以表明减少COT是为什么蚯蚓有这么少的移动片段的另一种解释。这里开发的结构特性，驱动功率和波形之间的数学关系将使未来的机器人设计更多的部分和有限的板载功率。
Earthworm-like peristaltic locomotion has been implemented in >50 robots, with many potential applications in otherwise inaccessible terrain. Design guidelines for peristaltic locomotion have come from observations of biology, but robots have empirically explored different structures, actuators, and control waveform shapes than those observed in biological organisms. In this study, we suggest a template analysis based on simplified segments undergoing beam deformations. This analysis enables calculation of the minimum power required by the structure for locomotion and maximum speed of locomotion. Thus, design relationships are shown that apply to peristaltic robots and potentially to earthworms. Specifically, although speed is maximized by moving as many segments as possible, cost of transport (COT) is optimized by moving fewer segments. Furthermore, either soft or relatively stiff segments are possible, but the anisotropy of the stiffnesses is important. Experimentally, we show on our earthworm robot that this method predicts which control waveforms (equivalent to different gaits) correspond to least input power or to maximum velocity. We extend our analysis to 150 segments (similar to that of earthworms) to show that reducing COT is an alternate explanation for why earthworms have so few moving segments. The mathematical relationships developed here between structural properties, actuation power, and waveform shape will enable the design of future robots with more segments and limited onboard power.