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  4. A Passively Adaptive Microspine Grapple for Robust, Controllable Perching
 
conference paper

A Passively Adaptive Microspine Grapple for Robust, Controllable Perching

Hai-Nguyen Nguyen
•
Siddall, Robert
•
Stephens, Brett
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January 1, 2019
2019 2Nd Ieee International Conference On Soft Robotics (Robosoft 2019)
2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)

The application of flying systems to practical tasks is consistently limited by the poor endurance of hovering robots. The ability to perch to fixed surfaces allows a robot to gather data and inspect structures in a low power state, while retaining the access and manoeuvrability that flight offers. In this paper we present a passively adaptive perching mechanism which allows an aerial vehicle to stably attach to a variety of surfaces including tree branches and pipelines. This is enabled by a compliant grapple module, which passively conforms to the surface of convex perching targets, ensuring reliable traction and a very high load capacity (tension tested to >60 kg in some instances) whilst still releasing effortlessly. This is due to the mechanics of the grapple, which is designed to passively tighten and attach to a variety of branch diameters and shapes. The grapple is paired with a hybrid force-motion controller which allows the cable tension to be regulated as the vehicle achieves the desired attitude. The hybrid control approach exploits the mechanical compliance of the system to ensure reliable, stable attachment to irregular natural structures, and the addition of a winch allows the robot to stably orient itself in any position or orientation relative to the branch. This approach demonstrates tensile perching using adaptive anchors. The presented subsystems can be applied to other robots where high force authority is required.

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Type
conference paper
DOI
10.1109/robosoft.2019.8722779
Web of Science ID

WOS:000492837400014

Author(s)
Hai-Nguyen Nguyen

Imperial College London

Siddall, Robert

Imperial College London

Stephens, Brett

Imperial College London

Navarro-Rubio, Alberto

Imperial College London

Kovac, Mirko  

École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

Date Issued

2019-01-01

Publisher

IEEE

Publisher place

New York

Published in
2019 2Nd Ieee International Conference On Soft Robotics (Robosoft 2019)
ISBN of the book

978-1-5386-9260-8

Article Number

8722779

Start page

80

End page

87

Subjects

AERIAL

•

MECHANISM

•

Science & Technology

•

Technology

Editorial or Peer reviewed

REVIEWED

Written at

OTHER

EPFL units
LSR  
Event nameEvent acronymEvent placeEvent date
2nd IEEE International Conference on Soft Robotics (RoboSoft)

Seoul, SOUTH KOREA

2019-04-14 - 2019-04-18

FunderFunding(s)Grant NumberGrant URL

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)

EP/N018494/1;EP/R026173/1;EP/R009953/1;EP/R02572X/1

Royal Society

RSFR1180003

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI)

EP/R009953/1;EP/N018494/1

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Available on Infoscience
February 6, 2025
Use this identifier to reference this record
https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/246604
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