The robot - named Tabbot after "Tabacha," which means spider in the Berber language - can move by both walking and turning somersaults, just like the creature it's modeled after. Inspired by the spider's unusual movement mechanism, Rechenberg, a bionics expert, developed a 10-inch-long (25 centimeters) model of a spider robot. rechenbergi is nocturnal and lives in the Erg Chebbi desert in southeastern Morocco, close to the Algerian border. To protect itself from the sun and predators, the animal weaves tubelike "towers" in the sand that are held together by silk threads. In fact, the flic-flac moves propel the spider across the sand at some 6.5 feet per second (2 meters per second), which is twice as fast as its walking speed. On the other hand, its Tunisian relative moves only by rolling its body down sand dunes. Since the foil is not only elastic, but also airtight and lightweight, it could potentially be used in other flying objects or for clothing design and in the field of architecture.The spider propels itself off the ground and moves its legs in a flic-flac motion to go uphill, downhill or on level ground. Due to its elasticity, the flying membrane stays almost crease free even when the wings are retracted. The BionicFlyingFox can thus continue flying even if the fabric sustains minor damage. The fabric’s honeycomb structure prevents small cracks in the flying membrane from increasing in size. It consists of two airtight foils and a woven elastane fabric, which are welded together at approximately 45,000 points. The membrane covering the skeleton was specially developed by the bionics team for the BionicFlyingFox. The BionicFlyingFox optimizes its behavior during flight and follows the specified courses more precisely with each circuit. The wing movements required to effectively implement the intended movement sequences are calculated by its on-board electronics. Pre-programmed flight routes stored on a computer specify the path taken by the 20.5-ounce BionicFlyingFox as it performs its maneuvers. Starting and landing are performed by the human operator an autopilot takes over during flight. The motion tracking system plans the flight paths and issues the required control commands. To enable the BionicFlyingFox to move semi-autonomously within a defined space, the robot communicates with a motion tracking system. To emulate the flying fox, among the world’s largest bats, the wing kinematics of the BionicFlyingFox are divided into primaries and secondaries with all the joints in the same plane. Pressure and ultrasound sensors constantly register the BionicFinWave’s distance to the walls and its depth in the water, which prevents collisions with the tube system.īionicFlyingFox – ideal flight path determined with machine learning The remaining body elements of the BionicFinWave, which weighs only 15 ounces, are also 3D-printed this enables the complex geometry to be realized. The crankshafts together with the joints and piston rod are made from plastic as integral components in a 3D printing process. The BionicFinWave moves upwards or downwards by bending its body in the desired direction. The two fins can move independently of each other and by this means simultaneously generate different wave patterns and swim in a curve. The two lateral fins are molded entirely from silicone. While it moves through the tube system, the robot can communicate with the outside world via radio and transmit data, such as temperature and pressure sensor readings, to a mobile device. The fin drive unit is particularly suitable for slow, precise motion and causes less turbulence in the water than a conventional screw propulsion drive. Undulation forces from longitudinal fins allows the BionicFinWave to maneuver itself forward or backward. The knowledge gained in this project could also be used for methods in the manufacturing of soft robotics components. Swimming autonomous robots like the BionicFinWave could possibly be developed for tasks such as inspection, measurement and data acquisition in the water, wastewater and other process industries. With this form of propulsion, the underwater robot maneuvers itself autonomously through a system of water-filled acrylic tubing. The BionicFinWave was inspired by the fin movements executed by marine animals such as the polyclad or the cuttlefish. The BionicFinWave navigates autonomously through a system of water-filled tubes
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |