A New Application of Modular Robots

on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion

Houxiang Zhang, Juan González-Gómez, Jianwei Zhang

Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics

School of Engineering
and Natural Sciences
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
University of Hamburg

Ph.D. Juan González-Gómez. IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics. Málaga. April-17th-2009

Outline

Outline

1. Introduction
2. Kinematics
3. Locomotion
4. Experiments
5. Conclusions and future work

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 2

1.- Introduction

Modular robots overview (I)

● Composed of equal modules

● Modules as building bricks
● Self-reconfigurable
● Shape adapted to the terrain

Polybot Modsnake M-TRAN SuperBot

Yim et al. PARC Wright et al. Murata et al. AIST Shen et al. ISI

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 3

1.- Introduction

Modular robots overview (II)

●Very few groups in Europe Applications of modular robots:

working on modular robotics
● Space exploration
● Urban search and rescue
● Educational purposes
● Bioinspire research

Yamor Cube Revolutions, Hypercube Cube-M

Moeckel et al. EPFL Gonzalez-Gomez et al. UAM Zhang et al. TAMS

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 4

2.- Kinematics

Locomotion of caterpillars

Inchworm Manduca sexta larvae

Adhesion module

Joint module

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 5

2.- Kinematics

Manduca sexta larvae

●Body modeled as a chain of
three Cube-M modules:

Cube-M

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 6

 3.- Locomotion

Locomotion algorithm (I)

In Nature Our model

CPG CPG CPG

● Sinusoidal generators
● Central pattern generators (CPGs) ● One generator for each module
● Each CPG controls a group of
● The bending angle is controlled
muscles
2
i t =A sin ti  
T

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 7

3.- Locomotion

Locomotion algorithm (II)

● The same amplitude A for all the modules

2
● The same phase difference i t =A sin ti  
T
● The same period T

● Control space of two variables: A , 

● Exploration of the best working point for locomotion
● Step, Power and Ratio as a function of A , 

Step  x=s  A ,  
Power P=P  A ,  

Ratio P
= =  A , 
x

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 8

4.- Experiments

The Cube-M modular robot

Video

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 9

4.- Experiments

Experiments (I): Step

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 10

4.- Experiments

Experiments (II): Step

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 11

4.- Experiments

Experiments (III): Power

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 12

4.- Experiments

Experiments (IV): Power

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 13

4.- Experiments

Experiments (V): Ratio

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 14

4.- Experiments

Experiments (VI): Ratio

Working point
A=40
Phase diff=125

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 15

5.- Conclusion and future work

Conclusions and future work

●Investigation of caterpillar-like locomotion using our cost-efficient

and robust modular robot Cube-M
●The experiments show that when the phase difference is around
125 degrees the movement is smooth, fastest and power
consumption is lowest

● Further experiments and simulations

● Addition of sensors on the module to get more moving
information
● Application to the design on climbing caterpillars

A New Application of Modular Robot on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion 16

 A New Application of Modular Robots
on Analysis of Caterpillar-like Locomotion

Houxiang Zhang, Juan González-Gómez, Jianwei Zhang

Faculty of Mathematics, Informatics

School of Engineering
and Natural Sciences
Universidad Autonoma de Madrid
University of Hamburg

Ph.D. Juan González-Gómez. IEEE International Conference on Mechatronics. Málaga. April-17th-2009