Data, AI, Robotics, Muay Thai
OpenRoACH: A small open-source hexapedal robot with onboard ROS
There has been a lack of a research platform for small legged robots under 20 cm. OpenRoACH is a 15-cm long and 200-gram hexapod robot. It is the smallest legged robot running the Robot Operating System (ROS) onboard. With two Pololu metal gear DC motors and a Beagle Bone Blue board, OpenRoACH is underactuated, affordable, mechanically and electronically open sourced. Fabrication is straightforward with bench-top fast-prototyping machines such as a laser cutter and a 3D printer. Assembly can be done manually with hot glue, super glue and screws by one person in two hours.
Key features include:
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dynamical walking and running capabilities on multiple surfaces and terrain;
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Reliability tests with over 24 hours walking on a treadmill at 3-6 cm/s;
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Dynamic payload of 200 gram (including a battery);
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multi-model sensory capacity with cameras, colour tracking sensors, linescan sensors, gyroscopes, accelerometers, and Beacon sensors.
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onboard ROS, optional mbed microcontroller
OpenRoACH has been constructed by 30+ students and used in three of the University of California campuses.
Related publication:
Wang, L., Yang, Y., Correa, G., Karydis, K., and Fearing, R. S. OpenRoACH: A durable open-source hexapedal platform with onboard Robot Operating System (ROS). In Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 20-24 May 2019, Montreal, Canada. Accepted.
URL: https://wiki.eecs.berkeley.edu/biomimetics/Main/OpenRoACH
Soft bodied locomotion with an open-source robot kits
There is no well established design principles in making soft-bodied robots for locomotion. The development of the open-source robot kits serves primarily two purposes: (1) discovery learning of hands-on heuristic skills for making soft-bodied mobile robots; and (2) provides a tool for analysis and derivation of design principles based on the outcome of heuristic building.
A three hour discovery-learning based tutorial was held during the 2012 International Summer School on Soft Robotics for 59 students from institutions in 13 countries. According to the feedback, 97%of the students enjoyed the tutorial and the robot kits and would recommend it to others, and 82% agreed the tutorial was adequate and useful in helping understanding the importance of morphology in raising functions.
Related publication:
Yu, X., Assaf, D., Wang, L., and Iida, F. (2013) Robotics education: A case study in
soft-bodied locomotion. In Proceedings of 2013 IEEE Workshop on Advanced Robotics and its Social Impacts (ARSO), 7-9 November, Tokyo, Japan, 194-199. abstract
Template modelling of running based on inertial actuation
Mammals and birds swing non-leg body parts such as necks and arms during terrestrial locomotion. The function of such movements is believed to be primarily linked to a counter-leg angular momentum for balancing. The effect on energy efficiency remain unknown. By using a mathematical template modeling method and combined with experiments on a range of inertially-actuated hopping robots with a body mass from 0.01 kg to 100 kg, I show a mechanism of efficient running based on inertial actuation. This project is ongoing.
Related publication:
Wang, L. (2015) A template for efficient running with an actuated rotating mass. Presented at Dynamic Walking Conference 2015, 21-24 July, Columbus, USA.