5 accepted papers
Accurate dynamic modeling of soft-shelled spherical robots is challenging due to coupled rigid–soft body interactions and pressure-dependent contact behavior. This letter presents a modeling strategy for an empirically tuned pendulum-driven inflatable spherical robot. The approach combines a rigid-b…
Exploration of extraterrestrial surfaces, such as the lunar surface, can prove treacherous for humans and robots alike, and requires highly specialized mobility platforms to ensure the success of a mission and the safety of any operators. However, these specialized machines may limit the overall sco…
Executing banked turns at elevated speeds poses significant dynamic challenges for 2-DOF pendulum-driven spherical robots. A steady-state torque balance reveals that centripetal loading at high speeds limits feasible roll angles and demands increasingly aggressive pendulum actuation. We derive a clo…
While soft-shelled spherical robots offer promising mobility and robustness for planetary exploration, large-scale, mission-capable robots present several design challenges. This paper presents the design, manufacturing, and performance evaluation of multiple soft outer shell iterations for RoboBall
Accurate dynamic modeling of soft-shelled spherical robots is challenging due to coupled rigid–soft body interactions and pressure-dependent contact behavior. This letter presents a modeling strategy for an empirically tuned pendulum-driven inflatable spherical robot. The approach combines a rigid-b