Vine Robots

Autor: Jee-Hwan Ryu, Elliot W. Hawkes, Usman Mehmood, Nicholas D. Naclerio, Allison M. Okamura, Laura H. Blumenschein, Sadie Cutler, Haitham El-Hussieny, Javier A. Reyna Zepeda, Margaret M. Coad
Rok vydání: 2020
Předmět:
Zdroj: IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine, vol 27, iss 3
ISSN: 1558-223X
1070-9932
DOI: 10.1109/mra.2019.2947538
Popis: A new class of continuum robots has recently been explored, characterized by tip extension, significant length change, and directional control. Here, we call this class of robots "vine robots," due to their similar behavior to plants with the growth habit of trailing. Due to their growth-based movement, vine robots are well suited for navigation and exploration in cluttered environments, but until now, they have not been deployed outside the lab. Portability of these robots and steerability at length scales relevant for navigation are key to field applications. In addition, intuitive human-in-the-loop teleoperation enables movement in unknown and dynamic environments. We present a vine robot system that is teleoperated using a custom designed flexible joystick and camera system, long enough for use in navigation tasks, and portable for use in the field. We report on deployment of this system in two scenarios: a soft robot navigation competition and exploration of an archaeological site. The competition course required movement over uneven terrain, past unstable obstacles, and through a small aperture. The archaeological site required movement over rocks and through horizontal and vertical turns. The robot tip successfully moved past the obstacles and through the tunnels, demonstrating the capability of vine robots to achieve navigation and exploration tasks in the field.
Databáze: OpenAIRE
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