Tensegrity robots

More recently, robot locomotion has been assessed by applying the potential energy of deformable robots. These robots moved by applying gravitational potential energy gradients and the storing/restoring of their bending potential energy. We apply a tensegrity structure in designing the deformable body of a locomotion robot to obtain high freedom of design. Tensegrity is a mechanical structure composed of a set of disconnected rigid elements connected by continuous tensional members. We realized rolling locomotion of a tensegrity robot by body deformation, which utilizes gravitational and tensile potential energy.




Fig.1: Prototype (12 struts)



Fig.2: Rolling using the body deformation

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We cooperate with Hirai lab. at Ritsumeikan Univ. in this research.