Design of Track-Type Climbing Robots Using Dry Adhesives and Compliant Suspension for Scalable Payloads

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Wesley Demirjian ◽  
Matthew Powelson ◽  
Stephen Canfield
Keyword(s):  
Design Procedure ◽  
Adhesive Tape ◽  
Adhesion Forces ◽  
Climbing Robots ◽  
Full Contact ◽  
Dry Adhesives ◽  
Track Surface ◽  
Small Robot ◽  
Vehicle Size ◽  
Robotic Applications

Abstract Climbing robots offer advanced motion capabilities to perform inspection, manufacturing, or rescue tasks. Climbing requires the robot to generate adhering forces with the climbing surface. Dry adhesives present a category of adhesion that could be advantageous for climbing a variety of surfaces. Current literature shows climbing robots using dry adhesives typically exhibit minimal payloads and are considered useful for tasks involving lightweight sensors, such as surveillance. However, dry adhesives routinely demonstrate adhering pressures in the range of 20–50 kPa, suggesting that a small robot (3 × 30 cm footprint, for example) could theoretically have a significant payload (in the order of 18–45 kg). Existing designs demonstrate small payloads primarily because they fail to distribute the adhesion forces over the entire adhering region available to these robots. Further, existing design methods do not demonstrate scalability of payload-to-vehicle size but, in fact, indicate such robots are not scalable (Gorb et al., 2007, “Insects Did It First: A Micropatterned Adhesive Tape for Robotic Applications,” Bioinspir. Biomim., 2(4), pp. 117–125.). This paper presents a design procedure for track-type climbing robots that use dry adhesives to generate tractive forces and a passive suspension that distributes the climbing loads over the track in a preferred manner. This procedure simultaneously considers the behavior of both the adhesive material at the track-surface interface and the distribution of the adhesive forces over the full contact surface. The paper will demonstrate that dry-adhesive-based climbing robots can be designed to achieve high payloads and are scalable, thus enabling them to be used in applications previously thought to be impossible with dry adhesives.

Integrating Dry Adhesives and Compliant Suspension for Track-Type Climbing Robots

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew W. Powelson ◽  
Wesley A. Demirjian ◽  
Stephen L. Canfield
Keyword(s):  
Design Procedure ◽  
Light Weight ◽  
Adhesion Forces ◽  
Climbing Robots ◽  
Adhesive Material ◽  
Full Contact ◽  
Dry Adhesives ◽  
Track Surface ◽  
Vehicle Size ◽  
Adhesive Forces

Abstract Climbing robots using dry adhesives in the literature typically exhibit minimal payload and are considered useful for tasks involving light-weight sensors, such as surveillance or exploration. Existing designs demonstrate small payloads primarily because they either employ minimal adhesion area or fail to distribute the adhesion forces over the adhering region of these robots. Further, existing design methods do not demonstrate scalability of payload-to-vehicle size and, in fact, indicate that such robots are not scalable. However, dry adhesives routinely demonstrate adhering pressures in the range of 20–50 kPa which suggests that a 30 × 30 cm robot could have a payload on the order of 20–50 kg. This paper presents a step-by-step approach for designing track-type dry adhesive climbing robots to achieve high payloads. The aforementioned design steps are then experimentally validated, showing that high payloads should theoretically be possible when using dry adhesives to climb. By integrating a general adhesion model with a suspension system, this design procedure can be used to design climbing robots that distribute the payload over a large adhesive area. The models behind the design procedure (developed previously [1] but summarized here) simultaneously consider the behavior of both the adhesive material at the track-surface interface and the distribution of the adhesive forces over the full contact surface. When each of these criteria are satisfied, track-type climbing robots can be designed to carry high payloads, thus enabling applications previously thought to be impossible.

Design of Track-Based Climbing Robots Using Dry Adhesives

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew W. Powelson ◽  
Stephen L. Canfield
Keyword(s):  
Contact Surface ◽  
Climbing Robot ◽  
Complete Model ◽  
Climbing Robots ◽  
Dry Adhesive ◽  
Full Contact ◽  
Robot Systems ◽  
Dry Adhesives ◽  
Adhesion Model ◽  
Track Surface

This paper focuses on the design of track-type climbing robots using dry adhesives to generate tractive forces between the robot and climbing surface to maintain equilibrium while in motion. When considering the design of these climbing robots, there are two primary elements of focus: the adhesive mechanisms at the track-surface interface and the distribution of these forces over the full contact surface (the tracks). This paper will present an approach to integrate a generic adhesion model and a track suspension system into a complete model that can be used to design general climbing robot systems utilizing a broad range of dry adhesive technologies.

scholarly journals A Maugis–Dugdale cohesive solution for adhesion of a surface with a dimple

2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (127) ◽  
pp. 20160996 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Papangelo ◽  
M. Ciavarella
Keyword(s):  
Adhesive System ◽  
Theoretical Strength ◽  
Air Entrapment ◽  
Qualitative Comparison ◽  
Cohesive Model ◽  
Full Contact ◽  
Dry Adhesives ◽  
Simple Equations ◽  
Scale Roughness ◽  
Tabor Parameter

We study the adhesion of a surface with a ‘dimple’ which shows a mechanism for a bi-stable adhesive system in surfaces with spaced patterns of depressions, leading to adhesion enhancement, high dissipation and hysteresis. Recent studies were limited mainly to the very short range of adhesion (the so-called JKR regime), while we generalize the study to a Maugis cohesive model. A ‘generalized Tabor parameter’, given by the ratio of theoretical strength to elastic modulus, multiplied by the ratio of dimple width to depth has been found. It is shown that bistability disappears for generalized Tabor parameter less than about 2. Introduction of the theoretical strength is needed to have significant results when the system has gone in full contact, unless one postulates alternative limits to full contact, such as air entrapment, contaminants or fine scale roughness. Simple equations are obtained for the pull-off and for the full contact pressure in the entire set of the two governing dimensionless parameters. A qualitative comparison with results of recent experiments with nanopatterned bioinspired dry adhesives is attempted in light of the present model.

Design of Lead Screw Actuators for Wearable Robotic Applications

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin W. Hollander ◽  
Thomas G. Sugar
Keyword(s):  
High Weight ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Design Procedure ◽  
Mechanical Efficiency ◽  
Human Muscle ◽  
Wearable Robot ◽  
Screw Design ◽  
Lead Screw ◽  
Standard Lead ◽  
Robotic Applications

A wearable robot is a controlled and actuated device that is in direct contact with its user. As such, the implied requirements of this device are that it must be portable, lightweight and most importantly safe. To achieve these goals an actuator with a good ‘power to weight’ ratio, good mechanical efficiency, good ‘strength to weight’ ratio and that is safe is desired. The design of the standard lead screw does not normally perform well in any of these categories. The typical lead screw has low pitch angles and large radii, thereby yielding low mechanical efficiencies and high weight. However, using the design procedure outlined in this text both efficiency and weight are improved, thus yielding a lead screw system with performances that rival human muscle. The result of an example problem reveals a feasible lead screw design that has a ‘power to weight’ ratio of 277W/kg, approaching that of the DC motor driving it, at 312W/kg, as well as a mechanical efficiency of 0.74, and a maximum ‘strength to weight’ ratio of 11.3kN/kg(1154kgf/kg).

scholarly journals Role of contact electrification and electrostatic interactions in gecko adhesion

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (98) ◽  
pp. 20140371 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hadi Izadi ◽  
Katherine M. E. Stewart ◽  
Alexander Penlidis
Keyword(s):  
Electrostatic Interactions ◽  
Van Der Waals ◽  
Adhesion Forces ◽  
Intimate Contact ◽  
Contact Electrification ◽  
Dry Adhesion ◽  
Dry Adhesives ◽  
Gecko Adhesion ◽  
First Time

Geckos, which are capable of walking on walls and hanging from ceilings with the help of micro-/nano-scale hierarchical fibrils (setae) on their toe pads, have become the main prototype in the design and fabrication of fibrillar dry adhesives. As the unique fibrillar feature of the toe pads of geckos allows them to develop an intimate contact with the substrate the animal is walking on or clinging to, it is expected that the toe setae exchange significant numbers of electric charges with the contacted substrate via the contact electrification (CE) phenomenon. Even so, the possibility of the occurrence of CE and the contribution of the resulting electrostatic interactions to the dry adhesion of geckos have been overlooked for several decades. In this study, by measuring the magnitude of the electric charges, together with the adhesion forces, that gecko foot pads develop in contact with different materials, we have clarified for the first time that CE does contribute effectively to gecko adhesion. More importantly, we have demonstrated that it is the CE-driven electrostatic interactions which dictate the strength of gecko adhesion, and not the van der Waals or capillary forces which are conventionally considered as the main source of gecko adhesion.

Design of Lightweight Lead Screw Actuators for Wearable Robotic Applications

2005 ◽  
Vol 128 (3) ◽  
pp. 644-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin W. Hollander ◽  
Thomas G. Sugar
Keyword(s):  
Direct Contact ◽  
Weight Ratio ◽  
Design Procedure ◽  
Mechanical Efficiency ◽  
Human Muscle ◽  
Wearable Robot ◽  
Screw Design ◽  
Lead Screw ◽  
Standard Lead ◽  
Robotic Applications

A wearable robot is a controlled and actuated device that is in direct contact with its user. As such, the implied requirements of this device are that it must be portable, lightweight, and most importantly safe. To achieve these goals, an actuator with a good “power to weight” ratio, good mechanical efficiency, good “strength to weight” ratio, and that is safe is desired. The design of the standard lead screw does not normally perform well in any of these categories. The typical lead screw has low pitch angles and large radii, thereby yielding low mechanical efficiencies and heavy weight. However, using the design procedure outlined in this text, both efficiency and weight are improved; thus yielding a lead screw system with performances that rival human muscle. The result of an example problem reveals a feasible lead screw design that has a power to weight ratio of 277W∕kg, approaching that of the dc motor driving it, at 312W∕kg, as well as a mechanical efficiency of 0.74, and a maximum strength to weight ratio of 11.3kN∕kg(1154kgf∕kg).

Microstructured Polymer Adhesive Feet for Climbing Robots

MRS Bulletin ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 504-508 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn A. Daltorio ◽  
Stanislav Gorb ◽  
Andrei Peressadko ◽  
Andrew D. Horchler ◽  
Terence E. Wei ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Adhesive Strength ◽  
Walking Robot ◽  
Climbing Robots ◽  
Pressure Sensitive Adhesives ◽  
Pressure Sensitive ◽  
Polymer Adhesive ◽  
Glass Surfaces ◽  
Small Robot

AbstractNovel insect-foot–inspired materials may enable future robots to walk on surfaces regardless of the direction of gravity. Mini-Whegs™, a small robot that uses four wheel-legs for locomotion, was converted to a wall-walking robot with compliant, adhesive feet. First, the robot was tested with conventional adhesive feet. Then a new, reusable insect-inspired adhesive was tested on the robot. This structured polymer adhesive has less adhesive strength than conventional pressure-sensitive adhesives, but it has two important advantages: the foot material maintains its properties for more walking cycles before becoming contaminated, and the feet can then be washed and reused with similar results, which is not feasible with conventional adhesives. After the addition of a tail and widening the feet, the robot is capable of ascending vertical smooth glass surfaces using the structured polymer adhesive.

Insects did it first: a micropatterned adhesive tape for robotic applications

2007 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. S117-S125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stanislav N Gorb ◽  
Mitali Sinha ◽  
Andrei Peressadko ◽  
Kathryn A Daltorio ◽  
Roger D Quinn
Keyword(s):  
Adhesive Tape ◽  
Robotic Applications

scholarly journals A New Strategy for Multi- Objective Dynamic and Kinematic Optimization of Robotic Manipulators with Application in Haptic Interfaces

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Behrooz Alae
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Capabilities ◽  
Design Procedure ◽  
Design Parameters ◽  
Haptic Interfaces ◽  
Optimization Strategy ◽  
Multi Objective ◽  
New Strategy ◽  
Increasing Demand ◽  
Robotic Applications

There is an increasing demand for higher performance in modern robotic applications. To meet the need for more accuracy and fast dynamic response, considering inertial effects is necessary. This thesis proposes a new global multi-objective optimization strategy to tune the geometric and dynamic capabilities of a manipulator. Then, as a case study, the kinematics and dynamic behavior of a five-bar-linkage haptic interface is analyzed and a new design procedure is obtained using a new global and constrained multi-objective technique. The minimax culling algorithm was used to design parameters for optimal kinematics and dynamic dexterity measure.

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