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

这个i-Corps项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种使用空气的机器人控制。这项拟议的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。到目前为止，这种控制方法还没有用于商业机器人产品，但在保持或扩展机器人能力的同时，可能会降低商业机器人系统的制造和组装成本。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，为带有气动电路的商用机器人系统提供动力和控制。这个i-Corps项目基于开发气动存储元件，以控制机器人在空气中的运动。机器人通过管道和嵌入式气动阀门泵送空气来移动。传统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)来控制多个运动。最近发表的结果表明，受动物神经电路的启发，气动电路被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行走机器人的有节奏的运动。机器人配备了充当逆变器的阀门，这些阀门会导致高压状态在整个气动电路中传播。机器人还配备了简单的压力激活机械传感器来改变机器人附件的运动。其目标是将这种软机器人技术转化为商业上可行的产品。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

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.