Let's All Pull Together: Principles for Sharing Large Loads in Microrobot Teams

David L. Christensen; Srinivasan A. Suresh; Katie Hahm; Mark R. Cutkosky

RA-L 201620 citations

Let's All Pull Together: Principles for Sharing Large Loads in Microrobot Teams

David L. Christensen, Srinivasan A. Suresh, Katie Hahm, Mark R. Cutkosky

Abstract

We present a simple statistical model to predict the maximum pulling force available from robot teams. The expected performance is a function of interactions between each robot and the ground (e.g., whether running or walking). We confirm the model with experiments involving impulsive bristlebots, small walking and running hexapods, and 17 g μTug that employ adhesion instead of friction. With attention to load sharing, each μTug can operate at its individual limit so that a team of six pulls with forces exceeding 200 N.

BibTeX

@inproceedings{ral2016_letsallpulltoget,
  title = {Let's All Pull Together: Principles for Sharing Large Loads in Microrobot Teams},
  author = {David L. Christensen and Srinivasan A. Suresh and Katie Hahm and Mark R. Cutkosky},
  booktitle = {RA-L 2016},
  year = {2016}
}