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Gait study and pattern generation of a starfish-like soft robot with flexible rays actuated by SMAs

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Abstract

This paper presents the design and development of a starfish-like soft robot with flexible rays and the implementation of multi-gait locomotion using Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuators. The design principle was inspired by the starfish, which possesses a remarkable symmetrical structure and soft internal skeleton. A soft robot body was constructed by using 3D printing technology. A kinematic model of the SMA spring was built and developed for motion control according to displacement and force requirements. The locomotion inspired from starfish was applied to the implementation of the multi-ray robot through the flexible actuation induced multi-gait movements in various environments. By virtue of the proposed ray control patterns in gait transition, the soft robot was able to cross over an obstacle approximately twice of its body height. Results also showed that the speed of the soft robot was 6.5 times faster on sand than on a clammy rough terrain. These experiments demonstrated that the bionic soft robot with flexible rays actuated by SMAs and multi-gait locomotion in proposed patterns can perform successfully and smoothly in various terrains.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Precision Machinery and Precision Instrumentation, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, P. R. China

    Shixin Mao, Erbao Dong, Hu Jin, Min Xu, Shiwu Zhang & Jie Yang

  2. School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, 639798, Singapore

    Kin Huat Low

Authors
  1. Shixin Mao
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  2. Erbao Dong
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  3. Hu Jin
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  4. Min Xu
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  5. Shiwu Zhang
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  6. Jie Yang
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  7. Kin Huat Low
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Correspondence to Erbao Dong.

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Mao, S., Dong, E., Jin, H. et al. Gait study and pattern generation of a starfish-like soft robot with flexible rays actuated by SMAs. J Bionic Eng 11, 400–411 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(14)60053-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(14)60053-6

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