10 accepted papers
Data-driven techniques enable modeling of nonlinear continuum robots directly from input-output data without relying on physics-based modeling. Among these techniques, the Koopman method has been particularly successful as it enables the application of linear optimal control techniques such as model
Back support devices(BSDs) have the potential to mitigate overexertion in industrial tasks and also to provide assistance to people with weak back muscle strength in daily activity. While state-of-the-art active BSDs can offer a high assistive force, they are bulky and heavy, making them uncomfortab
Koopman operator theory provides a powerful data-driven technique for modeling nonlinear dynamical systems in a linear framework, in comparison to computationally expensive and highly nonlinear physics-based simulations. However, Koopman operator-based models for soft robots are very high dimensiona
Perching onto objects can allow flying robots to stay at a desired height at low or no cost of energy. This paper presents a novel passive mechanism for aerial perching onto smooth surfaces. This mechanism is made from a bistable mechanism and a soft suction cup. Different from existing designs, it…
Traditional soft robots require separate sensors and actuators to precisely control their motion. A twisted-and-coiled actuator (TCA) is a new artificial muscle with both actuation and self-sensing capability that can simultaneously serve both as a sensor and an actuator allowing to control the moti…
Soft robots demonstrate great potential compared with traditional rigid robots owing to their inherently soft body structures. Although researchers have made tremendous progress in recent years, existing soft robots are in general plagued by a main issue: slow speeds and small forces. In this work,…
In nature, animals or insects can leverage the same body parts for different functions (e.g., a frog can use its legs to walk, jump, and swim). But robots, especially miniature ones, can normally perform a single task with a fixed mechanical design. In this letter, we propose a novel strategy to ena
Small aerial robots usually face a common challenge: they can only fly for a short time due to their limited onboard energy supply. To tackle this issue, one promising solution is to endow flying robots with perching capability so that they can perch or land on walls, trees, or power lines to rest o…
Shape morphing, meaning a structure can first morph and then lock into another shape, can be applied to robot designs to endow robots with adaptive morphology for increased functionality and adaptivity. In this paper, we introduce a novel shape morphing scheme enabled by a new artificial muscle: twi
Shape morphing, meaning a structure can first morph and then lock into another shape, can be applied to robot designs to endow robots with adaptive morphology for increased functionality and adaptivity. In this paper, we introduce a novel shape morphing scheme enabled by a new artificial muscle: twi…