Synthesis and prototyping of advanced robotic mechanical systems

机器人技术在过去十年中发展非常迅速。机器人的新应用在许多领域不断涌现。这些新的应用不断地重新定义了对机器人机械系统的要求，给机器人研究人员带来了新的挑战。提出的研究计划旨在综合和原型的创新机器人机构在四个领域（并行处理），被认为是原创的和有前途的。首先，将研究由多个电缆环路驱动的机制。使用电缆环的基本原理是将电缆的低惯性与闭环提供的刚度结合起来。这个原理已经在平面系统中发现了，但它将在这里扩展到3D系统，并将建立一个原型来演示这个概念。在第二个研究途径中，将研究与儿童秋千相似的悬索机制（但扩展到3D），并建立一个原型。总体思路是开发能够在3D空间中自行摇摆以到达指定目标的机器人。在第三项研究中，将建立一种机制，允许一个人在虚拟世界中自由行走，同时保持在一个受限的空间。所提出的机制与传统的跑步机不同，可以模拟在不平坦的地形上行走（例如楼梯）。它将由连接在用户脚下的平台组成，并由机器人设备驱动。最后，将开发一个手界面，以模拟一个人对材料（如粘土）的操纵。这个接口可以被看作是一个交互式手套箱，在这个手套箱中，一副手套是由一组围绕在手套上的电缆驱动的。在全球范围内，该研究项目将推动机器人科学领域的发展，这些领域是申请人过去和当前研究的自然延伸。

Robotics has progressed very rapidly over the last decade. New applications for robots continue to emerge in many areas. These new applications constantly redefine the requirements on robotic mechanical systems and bring new challenges to robotics researchers. The proposed research program aims at synthesizing and prototyping innovative robotic mechanisms in four areas (addressed in parallel) that are thought to be original and promising. First, mechanisms driven with multiple cable loops will be investigated. The basic principle behind the use of cable loops is to combine the low inertia of cables with the stiffness provided by the closed loops. This principle is already found in planar systems but it will be extended here to 3D systems and a prototype will be built to demonstrate the concept. In a second research avenue, cable-suspended mechanisms that behave similarly to a child's swing (but extended to 3D) will be studied and a prototype will be built. The general idea is to develop robots that can swing themselves around to reach prescribed targets in 3D space. In a third investigation, a mechanism will be built to allow a person to freely walk in a virtual world while remaining in a confined space. The proposed mechanism departs from conventional treadmills and will allow the simulation of a walk on uneven terrain (e.g. stairs). It will consist of platforms attached under the feet of the user and driven by a robotic device. Finally, a hand interface will be developed in order to simulate the manipulation of material (e.g. clay) by a person. This interface can be thought of as an interactive glove box in which a pair of gloves are driven by a set of cables surrounding the gloves inside the box. Globally, the research program will advance robotic science in areas that are natural extensions of the applicant's past and current research.