I-Corps: Advanced All-Terrain Robot Navigating Cluttered Environments with Tensegrity-Based Locomotion

这个i-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发一种能够有效地在室内和室外环境中导航的全地形机器人。执法人员，包括警察、特警队和拆弹小组，经常依靠移动机器人在建筑物和居民区等各种环境中获得态势感知。然而，目前的移动机器人经常卡在日常的家居物品上(例如，门槛、玩具和楼梯)，危及这些官员的安全。该技术是一种全地形机器人，旨在穿越杂乱的环境，并能够有效地导航室内和室外环境。为急救队配备先进的机器人能力可能会增强他们处理危急情况的能力，包括恐怖主义、人质场景和其他对公共安全的威胁。建议的机器人可以提供安全和远程的解决方案，增强团队成员的安全，同时提高执法人员的效率和效力。这个i-Corps项目基于开发一种具有独特变形能力的全地形机器人，专门设计用于穿越混乱的环境。这项拟议的技术使用二十面体张拉整体结构作为车轮，允许车轮的形状在较大足迹的展开状态和较紧区域的折叠盘状状态之间切换。拟议的张拉整体结构是一种轻质但稳定的体系，由刚性构件(通常是杆或梁)通过张拉构件(通常是缆索或筋)连接而成。这种车轮结构大大增强了机器人通过大型障碍物、通过形状修改进入狭窄区域以及吸收冲击的能力，这是由于其固有的顺应性。机器人的多功能性已经在各种地形上进行了测试，从混凝土和岩石到沙子、植被、雪和水。拟议中的机器人可能在应急管理、军事监视、搜救、农业和摄影等领域具有潜力。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 an all-terrain robot capable of navigating indoor and outdoor environments effectively. Law enforcement officers, including police officers, SWAT teams, and Bomb Squads, frequently rely on mobile robots to gain situational awareness in various environments such as buildings and residential areas. However, current mobile robots often get stuck on everyday household objects (e.g., door sills, toys, and stairs), compromising the safety of these officers. The proposed technology is an all-terrain robot that is designed to traverse cluttered environments and is capable of navigating indoor and outdoor environments effectively. Equipping first responder teams with advanced robotic capabilities may strengthen their ability to handle critical situations, including terrorism, hostage scenarios, and other threats to public safety. The proposed robot may offer a safe and remote solution, enhancing the safety of team members, while improving the efficiency and effectiveness of law enforcement officers.This I-Corps project is based on the development of an all-terrain robot with a unique shape-changing capability, designed specifically to traverse cluttered environments. The proposed technology uses an icosahedron tensegrity structure as a wheel, allowing for the wheel's shape to switch between an expanded state for larger footprints and a collapsed disc-like state for tighter areas. The proposed tensegrity structure is a lightweight yet stable system made up of rigid components (often rods or beams) connected by tensioned elements (usually cables or tendons). This wheel structure substantially enhances the robot's ability to navigate large obstacles, access narrow regions through shape modification, and absorb impacts due to its inherent compliance. The versatility of the robot has been tested in a wide range of terrains, from concrete and rocks to sand, vegetation, snow, and water. The proposed robot may have potential in areas such as emergency management, military surveillance, search and rescue, agriculture, and photography, among others.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.