-- AaroSaunders? - 14 Aug 2003

Other Climbing Robots

This page contains information about a few current climbing robots. Please feel free to add to it any robot technology that applies the RiSE project.


Title: VRAM Aerodynamic Attraction
Method: Air Fan Attraction
Sponsor: DARPA
PI: Bryce Wiedeman
Organization: Avoinic Instruments
Website: http://www.avionicinstruments.com

Description:

Wall Crawler

"DARPA goals are twofold. First, to have AI² pursue research related to the VRAM attraction topology as related to the field of robotics specific to DARPA mission goals. Secondly, to gain further knowledge or verification of VRAM potentials and limitations which will allow AI² to direct research effort towards the possible commercialization of VRAM technology. Our initial mission guidelines, subject to further refinement, are to fully investigate the VRAM technology, its strengths, weaknesses, and a means of optimization. AI² will utilize this knowledge in conjunction with previous VRAM experience to provide a VRAM platform capable of making a ground approach to a building from 500 feet, transitioning to a vertical, scale two stories while steering to a designated window area, and provide visual surveillance. "

(Taken From DARPA SITE : https://www.darpa.mil/mto/drobotics/summaries/00overviews/avionics.html)

Cababilities:


Title: Robot Hexapod - RHex
Method: Legs
Sponsor: DARPA
PI: D.Koditschek, M.Buehler, A.Rizzi, R.Full
Organization: University of Michigan, McGill University, Carnegie Mellon University, Berkeley
Website: http://www.rhex.net

Description:

RHex

RHex is a robotic hexapod with compliant legs and only six actuated degrees of freedom. One of the robots behaviors (or modes of operation), "stair climbing", uses an open loop controller that enables RHex, to reliably climb a wide range of regular, full-size stairs with no operator input during stair climbing. Another behavior, "hill climbing" enables RHex to climb steep accents (including: sand, various size rocks, concrete, grass). With the standard half circle leg configuration RHex can climb flat surfaces up to 35deg and a new 2DOF leg design allows it to achieve angles up to 45deg (the 2DOF legs change shape to lower vehicle CG and stabilize low speed locomotion).

Cababilities:

Stair Climbing
Stair Climbing (MPG)

RHex Climbing Stairs RHex Stair Leg Contact

Hill Climbing
Legged Mode Hill Climb (MPG)
Wheel Mode Hill Climb (MPG)

Additional Information:

Reliable Stair Climbing in the Simple Hexapod ‘RHex’ (PDF)


Title: Modular Serpentine Robot Locomotion
Method: Body Forces
Sponsor: Unkown
PI: Unkown (Robot Design by: Mark Yim)
Organization: Sensor Based Planning Laboratory, Carnegie Mellon University
Website: http://voronoi.sbp.ri.cmu.edu/serpentine/serpentine_local.html

Description:

Snake Robot Climbing

"This work considers two issues: serpentine robot locomotion and modularity. Biological snakes move by different cyclic forms of locomotion, termed gaits. Adapting these gaits for our mechanical snakes, our goal is to enable serpentine robots to maneuver through three-dimensional terrains. Since the specific snake robot we are studying is modular, we also have an opportunity to examine the benefits and drawbacks of such a design. It is our goal to establish a conversation that measures the tradeoffs between modular and non-modular designs, citing examples and situations to weigh the options."

(Taken From CMU SITE : http://voronoi.sbp.ri.cmu.edu/projects/modsnake/modsnake.html)

Cababilities:

Additional Information:

More "Snake-Like" Robot Links


Title: LEMUR II
Method: Gripper
Sponsor: NASA-JPL
PI: Unkown
Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Website: http://prl.jpl.nasa.gov

Description:

LEMU II

"LEMUR is a small, agile and capable six-legged walking robot that has been built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory to perform dexterous small-scale assembly, inspection and maintenance of macro space facilities. It is intended to expand the operational envelope of robots in its size class (sub-5kg) through the flexible use of its limbs and effectors, as well as through the modular changeout of those effectors. In short, LEMUR is intended as a robotic instantiation of a six-limbed primate with Swiss Army knife tendencies."

Of particulat intrest might be the information about LEMUR Legs, additionaly see the Leg Actuation Movie.

(Taken From CMU SITE : http://prl.jpl.nasa.gov/projects/lemur1/lemur_index.html)

Additional Information:

Timothy Wolfe Bretl Home Page
Towards Autonomous Free-Climbing Robots(PDF) *!Excellent Reference Section!*


Title: Flipper & Crawler
Method: Suction
Sponsor: Uknown
PI: Unkown
Organization: Michigain State University College of Engineering, Robotics and Automation lab
Website: http://www.egr.msu.edu/ralab/

Description:

wall climber crawler wall climber flipper

"The goal of this project is to construct a digital controller for a w all climbing micro-robot. There are two kind of wall-climbing micro-robots in the lab. One is called "Flipper",left, the other is called "Crawler",right. The restrictions such as small size, light weight and low power consumption must be complied when designing the miniature robot. The DSP chip TMS320LF2407? from Texas Instrument is selected as the controller for robot because of its high speed performance, its support for multi-motor control and the low power consumption. The components of the robot such as three DC servo motors, two suction pump motors, two micro valves, pressure sensors, touch sensors and limit switches are controlled by single chip LF2407 DSP."

(Taken From RALAB SITE : http://www.egr.msu.edu/ralab/proj05.htm )


Title: Modular Research Demonstrator
Method: Suction
Sponsor: Uknown
PI: Unkown
Organization: Fraunhofer-Institut für Produktionstechnik und Automatisierung (IPA), Germany
Website: http://www.ipa.fhg.de/Aktuelles/

Description:

RHex

"At Fraunhofer IPA a modular construction system for climbing robots has been developed. This modular approach addresses the key functions a climbing robot has to solve. In this context intelligent suction modules, intelligent foot modules, and a lightweight sliding frame module, based on composite carbon fiber tubes, have been designed. The research demonstrator “Animated Ad”, a modular climbing robot for advertising purposes, is currently being evaluated in field tests."

(Taken From: http://voronoi.sbp.ri.cmu.edu/~fsr/FINAL_PAPERS/31_Schmierer.pdf [ENGLISH])

I had a tough time finding more because the home site is in German!

Additional Information:

A modular construction system for lightweight multipurpose climbing robots (PDF)

More Robots [Details to be posted as time permits!]

Robot Type Link
SLOTH Rope Climber http://www.seattlerobotics.org/encoder/200210/prj5/sloth.htm
SURFY Suction http://www.scg.dees.unict.it/giovanni/SURFY.HTM
MRWALLSPECT Suction http://mecha.skku.ac.kr/research/wall.htm
ROMA Gripper http://www.uwe.ac.uk/clawar/newsletters/issue2/ROMA.html
Mitsubishi Pain Magnets http://www.mitsubishi.or.jp/e/monitor/monitor_old/97version/monitor6/robot.html
BIGGALO Suction http://www.engr.uvic.ca/~pmauro/
NINJA-I, -II Suction http://mozu.mes.titech.ac.jp/research/walk/NINJA/NINJA.html
WALLY Suction http://www.scg.dees.unict.it/giovanni/WALLY.HTM
Unknown Rope Climber http://www.cunderwood.freeserve.co.uk/lego/toomuchrope/index.html
Cliff Hanger Hooked Foot http://www.cliffhanger.mainpage.net/
Unknown Suction http://www.eeie.sbu.ac.uk/research/ndt/research.html
Dante II Anchor Line and Legs http://www.ri.cmu.edu/projects/project_163.html


-- Updated:18 Aug 2003 [Main.AaroSaunders]

 
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