Repository logo

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne

Infoscience

  • English
  • French
Log In
  1. Home
  2. Academic and Research Output
  3. Conferences, Workshops, Symposiums, and Seminars
  4. A Soft Robot for Random Exploration of Terrestrial Environments
 
conference paper

A Soft Robot for Random Exploration of Terrestrial Environments

Mintchev, Stefano  
•
Zappetti, Davide  
•
Willemin, Jeremie
Show more
June 15, 2018
Ieee International Conference On Robotics And Automation (Icra)
International Conference on Robotics and Automation

A swarm of randomly moving miniature robots is an effective solution for the exploration of unknown terrains. However, the deployment of a swarm of miniature robots poses two challenges: finding an adequate locomotion strategy for fast exploration and obstacles negotiation; and implementing simple design and control solutions suited for mass manufacturing. Here, we tackle these challenges by developing a new soft robot with a minimalistic design and a simple control strategy that can randomly propel itself above obstacles and roll on the ground upon landing. The robot is equipped with two propellers that are periodically activated to jump, a soft cage that protects the robot from impacts and allows to passively roll on the ground, and a passive self-righting mechanism for repetitive jumps. The minimalistic control and design reduce the complexity of the mechanics and electronics and are instrumental to the production of a large number of robots. In the paper, the key design aspects of the robot are discussed, the locomotion of a single prototype is experimentally characterized, and improvements of the system for future swarm operations are discussed.

  • Files
  • Details
  • Metrics
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name

Screenshot 2022-09-26 at 16.33.02.png

Type

Thumbnail

Access type

openaccess

License Condition

copyright

Size

74.51 KB

Format

PNG

Checksum (MD5)

28a54716aa89f89e28718d7a6fcaccb3

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name

Preprint.pdf

Access type

openaccess

Size

3.1 MB

Format

Adobe PDF

Checksum (MD5)

db3c47b189fc71a44ce2332646379c13

Logo EPFL, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne
  • Contact
  • infoscience@epfl.ch

  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on Instagram
  • Follow us on LinkedIn
  • Follow us on X
  • Follow us on Youtube
AccessibilityLegal noticePrivacy policyCookie settingsEnd User AgreementGet helpFeedback

Infoscience is a service managed and provided by the Library and IT Services of EPFL. © EPFL, tous droits réservés