I-Corps: Development of pneumatic memory elements for controlling soft robots with air

I-Corps：开发用于用空气控制软机器人的气动记忆元件

• 批准号: 2142779
• 负责人: Michael Tolley
• 金额: $ 5万
• 依托单位: University of California-San Diego
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2021
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2021-09-01 至 2024-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2142779&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Corps; Development; pneumatic; memory; elements

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of a robotic control that uses air. Rather than controlling robotic systems with microcontrollers and motors, the proposed technology controls commercial robotic platforms with air using minimal electronics. The control approach has not been used in a commercial robotic product to date but may decrease the manufacturing and assembly costs of commercial robotic systems while maintaining or expanding the capabilities of robots. Initially, the pneumatic components will be used to control a robotic toy as a commercially-viable stepping-stone for powering and controlling commercial robotic systems with pneumatic circuits.This I-Corps project is based on the development of pneumatic memory elements to control the movement of robots with air. The robots move by pumping air through channels and embedded air-powered valves. Traditional robots require a motor to control every actuated joint while the proposed technology only requires one pressure source, such as a pump, to control multiple movements. Recently published results demonstrate the use of air-powered circuits inspired by neural circuits found in animals, called central pattern generators, to control the rhythmic motions of a walking robot without using electronics. The robot was equipped with valves acting as inverters that cause a high-pressure state to spread throughout an air-powered circuit. The robot also was equipped with simple pressure-activated mechanical sensors to change the movement of the robotic appendages. The goal is to transfer this soft robotic technology into a commercially viable product.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发使用空气的机器人控制。该技术不是用微控制器和电机控制机器人系统，而是用最少的电子设备用空气控制商业机器人平台。迄今为止，该控制方法尚未用于商业机器人产品中，但可以降低商业机器人系统的制造和组装成本，同时保持或扩展机器人的能力。 最初，气动元件将用于控制机器人玩具，作为商业上可行的垫脚石，为商业机器人系统提供动力和控制气动回路。这个I-Corps项目是基于开发气动记忆元件来控制机器人的运动。 机器人通过管道和嵌入式气动阀泵送空气来移动。传统的机器人需要一个电机来控制每个驱动关节，而所提出的技术只需要一个压力源，如泵，来控制多个动作。 最近发表的研究结果表明，使用受动物神经回路启发的空气动力电路，称为中央模式发生器，可以在不使用电子设备的情况下控制步行机器人的节奏运动。该机器人配备了阀门作为逆变器，使高压状态在整个空气动力回路中传播。该机器人还配备了简单的压力激活机械传感器，以改变机器人附件的运动。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。