The rapid development of robotics in recent years has given the opportunity to receive a huge number of robots at times with a very interesting design. Already exist self-assembling robots and robots with a soft body. But the engineers repeatedly manage to surprise me. For example, Japanese researchers recently introduced to the public the robot wheel is, moving a highly non-trivial way, clenching and unclenching your body.
Responsible for developing Yoichi Masuda and Masato Ishikawa. As you know, the wheel can roll in the presence of the axis of rotation and must be driven by a source of energy, whether motor or conventional traction. Japanese robot wheel is, of course, is a source of energy, but the movement it changes its shape. “Covered” robot soft polymer shell that is attached to the ” – ” with the help of spokes. The spokes do not give structure to collapse and provide the necessary rigidity and also reduce the amount spent on the movement of energy. This structure, of course, has its drawbacks. For example, the robot is not able to climb even a small hill.
Robotic mechanisms similar design can be used for reconnaissance and research areas, the conditions which represent an increased risk. For example, a robot can attach various sensors and cameras and send to the places of technogenic disasters, emergency situations, war zones, natural disasters and even into a volcano for the experiments. Personally acquainted with the moves of the Japanese robot wheel can be in the video below.
#video | Robot-wheel, which moves, compressing itself
Vladimir Kuznetsov