A multimodal motion robot based on tensegrity structure and its control method

Abstract

The present invention discloses a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure and a control method thereof. The robot comprises a control module and a peristaltic module, a rolling module, and a flight module electrically connected to the control module. The peristaltic module is a tensegrity structure composed of 15 tension springs and 6 interconnected drive rods, including a central drive rod with a flight module disposed at its midpoint. The flight module is a quadrotor structure. The rolling module comprises a motor and a circular wheel mounted on each end of the central drive rod. The control module is used to control the extension and retraction of each drive rod in the peristaltic module, the operation of the quadrotor in the flight module, and the rotation of the circular wheel in the rolling module. The robot structure proposed by the present invention can realize three motion modes: peristaltic, rolling, and flight. The robot has strong maneuverability and environmental adaptability.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of robots, and in particular relates to a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure and a control method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Existing robots can generally be divided into two types: rigid robots and soft robots. Rigid robots, currently widely used in production and daily life, offer advantages such as mature technology, fast movement speed, high precision, and strong load capacity. However, they suffer from poor flexibility, environmental adaptability, and safety when interacting with humans or the external environment. Soft robots have the opposite characteristics of rigid robots. Furthermore, the internal resonance and coupling of flexible materials complicate precise control of the robots and place higher demands on manufacturing technology. A tensegrity structure is a self-stressing spatial structure formed by a systematic arrangement of flexible and rigid elements, combining the advantages of both rigid and soft structures. The presence of a large number of flexible elements gives tensegrity structures the flexibility, environmental adaptability, and impact resistance of soft structures, while the rigid elements impart a high strength-to-weight ratio, load-bearing capacity, and excellent anisotropic stiffness. Applying tensegrity to robots can offer advantages over existing robots.

[0003] Most existing robots based on tensegrity structures adopt a spherical configuration in structure, and the main motion mode is rolling. On this basis, driving components such as quadrotors are added to the robot, so that the robot has two motion modes: rolling and flying. For example, Chinese invention patent CN202110489707.3 proposes an impact-resistant drone based on a spherical tensegrity structure, which has a rolling motion mode and a flying motion mode. However, this method based on spherical rolling motion has low motion efficiency, and it is difficult for the robot to adjust its own motion form according to specific circumstances. The robot's maneuverability and terrain adaptability are poor. Therefore, the current robots based on tensegrity structures still need to be further improved. Summary of the Invention

[0004] In response to the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention proposes a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure and a control method thereof, which realizes three motion modes of creeping, rolling and flying, and improves the robot's maneuverability and environmental adaptability.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, one or more embodiments of the present invention provide the following technical solutions:

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention provides a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure.

[0007] A multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure comprises a control module and a creeping module, a rolling module and a flying module electrically connected to the control module;

[0008] The peristaltic module is a tensegrity structure, which is composed of 15 tension springs and 6 drive rods connected to each other, including a central drive rod; a flight module is set at the midpoint of the central drive rod, and the flight module is a four-rotor structure; the rolling module is a motor and a round wheel respectively installed at both ends of the central drive rod;

[0009] The control module is used to control the extension and retraction of each driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module, the operation of the quadrotor in the flying module and the rotation of the round wheel in the rolling module.

[0010] According to a further technical solution, the 15 tension springs include a first tension spring, a second tension spring, a third tension spring, a fourth tension spring, a fifth tension spring, a sixth tension spring, a seventh tension spring, an eighth tension spring, a ninth tension spring, a tenth tension spring, an eleventh tension spring, a twelfth tension spring, a thirteenth tension spring, a fourteenth tension spring, and a fifteenth tension spring;

[0011] One end of the first tension spring, one end of the second tension spring, one end of the third tension spring, one end of the fourth tension spring and one end of the fifth tension spring are respectively connected to one end of the central driving pressure rod;

[0012] One end of the eleventh tension spring, one end of the twelfth tension spring, one end of the thirteenth tension spring, one end of the fourteenth tension spring and one end of the fifteenth tension spring are respectively connected to the other end of the central driving pressure rod.

[0013] According to a further technical solution, the first tension spring, the second tension spring, the third tension spring, the fourth tension spring and the fifth tension spring are evenly arranged along the circumference of one end of the central driving pressure rod;

[0014] The tenth tension spring, the eleventh tension spring, the twelfth tension spring, the thirteenth tension spring, the fourteenth tension spring and the fifteenth tension spring are evenly arranged along the circumference of the other end of the central driving pressure rod.

[0015] According to a further technical solution, the six driving pressure rods further include a first driving pressure rod, a second driving pressure rod, a third driving pressure rod, a fourth driving pressure rod and a fifth driving pressure rod;

[0016] One end of the first driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the first tension spring and one end of the sixth tension spring, and the other end of the first driving pressure rod is connected to one end of the seventh tension spring and the thirteenth tension spring;

[0017] One end of the second driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the sixth tension spring and the other end of the twelfth tension spring, and the other end of the second driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the third tension spring and one end of the eighth tension spring;

[0018] One end of the third driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the eleventh tension spring and one end of the eighth tension spring, and the other end of the third driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the fifth tension spring and one end of the ninth tension spring;

[0019] One end of the fourth driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the fifteenth tension spring and the other end of the ninth tension spring, and the other end of the fourth driving pressure rod is connected to one end of the tenth tension spring and the other end of the fourth tension spring;

[0020] One end of the fifth driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the fourteenth tension spring and the other end of the tenth tension spring, and the other end of the fifth driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the seventh tension spring and the other end of the second tension spring.

[0021] According to a further technical solution, the first tension spring, the second tension spring, the third tension spring, the fourth tension spring, the fifth tension spring, the eleventh tension spring, the twelfth tension spring, the thirteenth tension spring, the fourteenth tension spring, and the fifteenth tension spring are tension springs of the first specification;

[0022] The sixth tension spring, the seventh tension spring, the eighth tension spring, the ninth tension spring, and the tenth tension spring are tension springs of the second specification;

[0023] The two specifications of the extension springs have different lengths and stiffnesses, while the extension springs of the same specification have the same length and elastic coefficient.

[0024] According to a further technical solution, the lengths of the first driving pressure rod, the second driving pressure rod, the third driving pressure rod, the fourth driving pressure rod, the fifth driving pressure rod and the central driving pressure rod are adjustable.

[0025] According to a further technical solution, the first driving pressure rod, the second driving pressure rod, the third driving pressure rod, the fourth driving pressure rod and the fifth driving pressure rod are all electric push rods, air cylinders or hydraulic cylinders.

[0026] According to a further technical solution, the central driving pressure rod is an electric push rod, a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder.

[0027] According to a further technical solution, the diameter of the circular wheel is set according to specific circumstances.

[0028] A second aspect of the present invention provides a control method for a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure.

[0029] A control method for a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure is implemented based on the multimodal motion robot based on the tensegrity structure, comprising:

[0030] The control module controls the central driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module to contract, the peristaltic module to extend radially and contract axially, and the circular wheel in the rolling module contacts the ground. The control module controls the circular wheel in the rolling module to rotate, thereby realizing rolling motion;

[0031] The control module controls the extension of the central driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module, so that the peristaltic module extends axially and contracts radially. The circular wheel in the rolling module does not contact the ground, and the three driving pressure rods in the peristaltic module contact the ground. The control module controls the extension of the two driving pressure rods in the peristaltic module that do not contact the ground, so that the center of gravity of the robot changes and peristaltic motion is achieved.

[0032] The control module controls the operation of the quadrotor in the flight module to achieve flight movement.

[0033] One or more of the above technical solutions have the following beneficial effects:

[0034] (1) The multimodal motion robot based on the tensegrity structure proposed in the present invention has three motion modes: creeping, rolling and flying. It has amphibious motion capabilities and can achieve high-speed and efficient rolling on flat terrain, creeping on rugged terrain, and flying and hovering in the air.

[0035] (2) In the present invention, the overall configuration based on the tensegrity structure can reduce or avoid the damage caused by the accidental fall of the robot, and the peristaltic motion can help the robot adjust its take-off posture and fly again after an accidental fall. At the same time, the peristaltic module in the present invention reduces the number of pressure rods and springs compared to the spherical tensegrity structure, which reduces the degree of structural coupling and the difficulty of control to a certain extent.

[0036] (3) The robot proposed in the present invention can adjust the wheelbase and ground clearance on both sides through axial / radial deformation, and can then make corresponding adjustments for different terrains, thereby improving the robot's environmental adaptability. The robot has strong maneuverability and terrain adaptability, and the three motion modes are highly efficient. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] The accompanying drawings, which constitute a part of the present invention, are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention. The exemplary embodiments of the present invention and their descriptions are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute improper limitations on the present invention.

[0038] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure in Example 1 of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 2 Schematic diagram of the structure of the peristaltic module in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 3 This is a front view of the peristaltic module in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 4 1 is a side view of the peristaltic module in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 5 This is a state diagram of the central driving pressure rod of the peristaltic module in Example 1 of the present invention when it is extended;

[0043] Figure 6 This is a front view of the flight module in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0044] Figure 7 A top view of the flight module in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0045] Figure 8 This is a schematic structural diagram of the combination of the flight module and the peristaltic module in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] Figure 9 This is a front view of the combination of the flying module and the peristaltic module in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0047] Figure 10 This is a side view of the combination of the flight module and the peristaltic module in the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] Figure 11 This is a structural diagram of the scrolling module in the first embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] Among them, 1. first stretching spring, 2. second stretching spring, 3. third stretching spring, 4. fourth stretching spring, 5. fifth stretching spring, 6. sixth stretching spring, 7. seventh stretching spring, 8. eighth stretching spring, 9. ninth stretching spring, 10. tenth stretching spring, 11. eleventh stretching spring, 12. twelfth stretching spring, 13. thirteenth stretching spring, 14. fourteenth stretching spring, 15. fifteenth stretching spring, 16. first driving pressure rod, 17. second driving pressure rod, 18. third driving pressure rod, 19. fourth driving pressure rod, 20. fifth driving pressure rod, 21. center driving pressure rod, 22. round wheel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] It should be noted that the following detailed descriptions are exemplary and intended to provide further explanation of the present invention. Unless otherwise specified, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which the present invention belongs.

[0051] It should be noted that the terms used herein are only for describing specific embodiments and are not intended to limit the exemplary embodiments according to the present invention. As used herein, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the singular form is intended to include the plural form. In addition, it should be understood that when the terms "comprise" and / or "include" are used in this specification, they indicate the presence of features, steps, operations, devices, components and / or combinations thereof.

[0052] Example 1

[0053] This embodiment proposes a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure. The robot is a modular multimodal motion robot designed based on a tensegrity structure. Figure 1 As shown, it includes a control module and a creeping module, a rolling module and a flying module electrically connected to the control module, realizing three operating modes: creeping, rolling and flying.

[0054] The above-mentioned creeping module is the main module of the multimodal motion robot, and the creeping module is a tensegrity structure. Figure 2 、 Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown in the figure, the tensegrity structure consists of 15 tension springs and 6 driving pressure rods. By controlling the length change of the driving pressure rods, the robot can achieve peristaltic motion. At the same time, the peristaltic module has active deformation capability, which can achieve expansion and contraction of the overall external dimensions in the axial and radial directions.

[0055] Specifically, the 15 tension springs include a first tension spring 1, a second tension spring 2, a third tension spring 3, a fourth tension spring 4, a fifth tension spring 5, a sixth tension spring 6, a seventh tension spring 7, an eighth tension spring 8, a ninth tension spring 9, a tenth tension spring 10, an eleventh tension spring 11, a twelfth tension spring 12, a thirteenth tension spring 13, a fourteenth tension spring 14, and a fifteenth tension spring 15, and the six driving pressure rods include a first driving pressure rod 16, a second driving pressure rod 17, a third driving pressure rod 18, a fourth driving pressure rod 19, a fifth driving pressure rod 20 and a central driving pressure rod 21.

[0056] The aforementioned tension springs and drive rods each have two specifications. Among them, the first tension spring 1, the second tension spring 2, the third tension spring 3, the fourth tension spring 4, the fifth tension spring 5, the eleventh tension spring 11, the twelfth tension spring 12, the thirteenth tension spring 13, the fourteenth tension spring 14, and the fifteenth tension spring 15 are tension springs of the first specification, i.e., these tension springs have the same length and elastic coefficient; the sixth tension spring 6, the seventh tension spring 7, the eighth tension spring 8, the ninth tension spring 9, and the tenth tension spring 10 are tension springs of the second specification, i.e., these tension springs have the same length and elastic coefficient, but the lengths and stiffnesses of the two specifications of tension springs are different. The central drive rod 21 is a drive rod of the first specification, located on the central axis of the peristaltic module, and will be described as the central rod in the subsequent description; the first drive rod 16, the second drive rod 17, the third drive rod 18, the fourth drive rod 19, and the fifth drive rod 20 are drive rods of the second specification, which are distributed around the robot and will be referred to as peripheral rods in the subsequent description.

[0057] One end of the first tension spring 1, one end of the second tension spring 2, one end of the third tension spring 3, one end of the fourth tension spring 4 and one end of the fifth tension spring 5 are respectively connected to one end of the central driving pressure rod 21; one end of the eleventh tension spring 11, one end of the twelfth tension spring 12, one end of the thirteenth tension spring 13, one end of the fourteenth tension spring 14 and one end of the fifteenth tension spring 15 are respectively connected to the other end of the central driving pressure rod 21.

[0058] In this embodiment, the first tension spring 1, the second tension spring 2, the third tension spring 3, the fourth tension spring 4 and the fifth tension spring 5 are evenly arranged along the circumference of one end of the central driving pressure rod 21; the tenth tension spring 10, the eleventh tension spring 11, the twelfth tension spring 12, the thirteenth tension spring 13, the fourteenth tension spring 14 and the fifteenth tension spring 15 are evenly arranged along the circumference of the other end of the central driving pressure rod 21.

[0059] One end of the first driving pressure rod 16 is connected to the other end of the first tension spring 1 and one end of the sixth tension spring 6 , and the other end of the first driving pressure rod 16 is connected to one end of the seventh tension spring 7 and the thirteenth tension spring 13 ;

[0060] One end of the second driving pressure rod 17 is connected to the other end of the sixth tension spring 6 and the other end of the twelfth tension spring 12, and the other end of the second driving pressure rod 17 is connected to the other end of the third tension spring 3 and one end of the eighth tension spring 8;

[0061] One end of the third driving pressure rod 18 is connected to the other end of the eleventh tension spring 11 and one end of the eighth tension spring 8 , and the other end of the third driving pressure rod 18 is connected to the other end of the fifth tension spring 5 and one end of the ninth tension spring 9 ;

[0062] One end of the fourth driving pressure rod 19 is connected to the other end of the fifteenth tension spring 15 and the other end of the ninth tension spring 9 , and the other end of the fourth driving pressure rod 19 is connected to one end of the tenth tension spring 10 and the other end of the fourth tension spring 4 ;

[0063] One end of the fifth driving pressure rod 20 is connected to the other end of the fourteenth tension spring 14 and the other end of the tenth tension spring 10 , and the other end of the fifth driving pressure rod 20 is connected to the other end of the seventh tension spring 7 and the other end of the second tension spring 2 .

[0064] Furthermore, all tension springs bear tension, and all driving rods bear compression. The length of each driving rod is adjustable. Specifically, the lengths of the first driving rod 16, the second driving rod 17, the third driving rod 18, the fourth driving rod 19, the fifth driving rod 20, and the center driving rod 21 can all be actively adjusted.

[0065] In this embodiment, the first driving pressure rod 16, the second driving pressure rod 17, the third driving pressure rod 18, the fourth driving pressure rod 19, and the fifth driving pressure rod 20 are all driving devices in various forms such as electric push rods, cylinders, or hydraulic cylinders.

[0066] In this embodiment, the central driving rod 21 is a driving device in various forms such as an electric push rod, a pneumatic cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder.

[0067] The first driving pressure rod 16 , the second driving pressure rod 17 , the third driving pressure rod 18 , the fourth driving pressure rod 19 , the fifth driving pressure rod 20 and the central driving pressure rod 21 are all controlled by a control module, which controls and drives the length changes of the driving pressure rods.

[0068] In this embodiment, the first tension spring 1, the second tension spring 2, the third tension spring 3, the fourth tension spring 4, the fifth tension spring 5, the sixth tension spring 6, the seventh tension spring 7, the eighth tension spring 8, the ninth tension spring 9, the tenth tension spring 10, the eleventh tension spring 11, the twelfth tension spring 12, the thirteenth tension spring 13, the fourteenth tension spring 14 and the fifteenth tension spring 15 are all lightweight components such as tension springs or elastic ropes.

[0069] The tensegrity structure can realize axial stretching / radial contraction and axial contraction / radial stretching of the overall dimensions. Figure 5As shown, when the control center drives the pressure rod 21 to extend, the state of the peristaltic module changes, and the overall structure of the robot extends axially and contracts radially. Similarly, when the control center drives the pressure rod 21 to contract, the state of the peristaltic module also changes, and the overall structure of the robot contracts axially and expands radially.

[0070] In the above process, when the surrounding pressure rods do not change with the extension or contraction of the central driving pressure rod 21, the volume or size of the robot's peristaltic module does not change; when the surrounding pressure rods are controlled to extend or contract, the volume or size of the peristaltic module changes randomly: when the surrounding pressure rods are controlled to extend, the volume of the peristaltic module (that is, the entire robot) becomes larger; when the surrounding pressure rods are controlled to contract, the volume of the peristaltic module becomes smaller.

[0071] In this embodiment, a control module is provided. The control module is implemented by a single chip microcomputer and is electrically connected to each driving rod in the peristaltic module to control the change of the length of each driving rod in the peristaltic module so that the peristaltic module can achieve axial or radial changes.

[0072] In this embodiment, when the control module controls the extension or contraction of the two driving rods in the peristaltic module that are not in contact with the ground, the center of gravity will move outside the triangle formed by the endpoints of the three driving rods in contact with the ground. This will cause the robot's peristaltic module to shift, thereby changing the robot's position. Therefore, by controlling the length changes of the driving rods in the peristaltic module by the control module, the robot's ground peristaltic motion can be achieved. If the robot falls in the air and needs to take off again, the robot can adjust its takeoff posture through peristaltic motion to facilitate takeoff.

[0073] The structure of the above-mentioned flight module is as follows Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the flight module is a quadrotor structure, located at the midpoint of the central drive lever 21. The quadrotor structure includes rotors arranged in four horizontal directions and a drive unit for driving the rotors. In this embodiment, the control module can be installed on the quadrotor structure and electrically connected to the drive unit, thereby controlling the operation of the quadrotor by controlling the drive unit.

[0074] By assembling a quadrotor structure, the robot can achieve air flight. Considering the internal space and weight distribution of the robot, the quadrotor structure is fixed on the central driving pressure rod 21. Figure 8 、 Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, during flight, the robot can drive the extension and contraction of the pressure rod 21 through the control center, deforming and reducing its own size to pass through narrow gaps. This can not only reduce the robot's collision risk, but also reduce the workload of the robot controller's path planning.

[0075] like Figure 11 As shown, the rolling module comprises a motor and a circular wheel 22, each mounted on either end of a central driving rod 21. The circular wheel 22 is capable of rotating relative to the central driving rod 21, and the motor is used to drive the rotation of the circular wheel 22. The rolling module is electrically connected to a control module. Specifically, the motor in the rolling module is electrically connected to the control module. The control module controls the rotation of the circular wheel by controlling the operation of the motor. When the circular wheel contacts the ground, the robot's rolling motion is achieved by controlling the rotation of the circular wheel.

[0076] Furthermore, the sizes of the two circular wheels can be adjusted according to specific circumstances. When the peristaltic module is extended axially, the circular wheels come into contact with the ground, and the motion mode switches to rolling motion mode. When the peristaltic motion mode needs to be switched to peristaltic motion mode, the peristaltic module only needs to be retracted axially to release the two wheels from contact with the ground, and the peristaltic motion mode can be switched to peristaltic motion mode.

[0077] Furthermore, the robot's steering motion is achieved by controlling the differential speed of the motors driving the wheels on both sides. Furthermore, the robot can adjust its wheelbase and ground clearance through axial deformation, allowing it to easily cross obstacles and gullies during rolling, rather than having to go around them.

[0078] As another embodiment, the control module described in this embodiment includes a control unit and a remote communication unit. Data transmission and communication are carried out with the remote remote controller through the remote communication unit. The remote communication unit can receive control commands issued by the remote remote controller. After transmitting the control commands to the control unit, the control unit controls the operation of the robot according to the control commands, including controlling the extension and retraction of the driving pressure rod in the robot's peristaltic module, controlling the operation of the quadrotor in the robot's flight module, controlling the rotation of the circular wheel in the robot's rolling module, etc., and thus, remote control of the robot can be achieved through the remote controller.

[0079] As another embodiment, the robot described in this embodiment further includes an image acquisition module, implemented using a camera, for acquiring real-time images. The image acquisition module is electrically connected to a control module, which includes a control unit and an image processing unit. The image processing unit utilizes image recognition technology to identify the state of the surrounding environment based on the acquired real-time images and outputs control commands based on the surrounding environment. The control unit controls the operation of the robot based on the received control commands, such as controlling the extension and retraction of the driving lever in the robot's peristaltic module, the operation of the quadrotor in the robot's flight module, and the rotation of the wheels in the robot's rolling module, thereby achieving autonomous operation of the robot.

[0080] The multimodal motion robot based on the tensegrity structure proposed in the present embodiment has three motion modes: creeping, rolling and flying. It has amphibious motion capabilities on land and in the air, and can achieve high-speed and efficient rolling on flat terrain, creeping on rugged terrain, and flying, hovering and other movements in the air. Moreover, the robot can adjust the wheelbase and ground clearance on both sides through axial / radial deformation, so that the robot can make corresponding adjustments for different terrains. For example, by increasing the wheelbase to cross wide gullies, by reducing the wheelbase to pass through narrow gaps, or by increasing the outer diameter to cope with obstacles such as steps, the robot's environmental adaptability is improved. The robot has strong maneuverability and terrain adaptability, and the three motion modes are highly efficient.

[0081] Example 2

[0082] This embodiment proposes a control method for a multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure. The control method is based on the multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure proposed in the first embodiment and can realize three motion modes: creeping, rolling, and flying. Specifically, the method includes:

[0083] The control module controls the central driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module to contract, the peristaltic module to extend radially and contract axially, and the circular wheel in the rolling module contacts the ground. The control module controls the circular wheel in the rolling module to rotate, thereby realizing rolling motion;

[0084] The control module controls the extension of the central driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module, so that the peristaltic module extends axially and contracts radially. The circular wheel in the rolling module does not contact the ground. At this time, the three driving pressure rods in the peristaltic module contact the ground. The control module controls the extension of the two driving pressure rods in the peristaltic module that are not in contact with the ground, so that the center of gravity of the robot changes and peristaltic motion is achieved.

[0085] The control module controls the operation of the quadrotor in the flight module to achieve flight movement.

[0086] Furthermore, the control module controls the extension of the central driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module, and the peristaltic module extends axially and contracts radially. At this time, the wheelbase increases, and it can cross wider gullies; the control module controls the contraction of the central driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module, and the peristaltic module extends radially and contracts axially. At this time, the wheelbase decreases, and it can pass through narrow gaps; by increasing the outer diameter, obstacles such as steps can be dealt with.

[0087] Through the robot and control method thereof proposed above in this embodiment, three motion modes of creeping, rolling and flying can be realized, thereby improving the robot's maneuverability and the robot's ability to adapt to terrain.

[0088] The foregoing description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that various modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, or improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention are intended to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0089] Although the above describes the specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art on the basis of the technical solution of the present invention without any creative work are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0090] Although the above describes the specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should understand that various modifications or variations that can be made by those skilled in the art on the basis of the technical solution of the present invention without any creative work are still within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multimodal motion robot based on a tensegrity structure, characterized in that: It includes a control module and a creeping module, a rolling module and a flying module electrically connected to the control module; The peristaltic module is a tensegrity structure, which is composed of 15 tension springs and 6 drive rods connected to each other, including a central drive rod; a flight module is set at the midpoint of the central drive rod, and the flight module is a four-rotor structure; the rolling module is a motor and a round wheel respectively installed at both ends of the central drive rod; The control module is used to control the extension and retraction of each driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module, the operation of the quadrotor in the flight module, and the rotation of the round wheel in the rolling module; The 15 tension springs include a first tension spring, a second tension spring, a third tension spring, a fourth tension spring, a fifth tension spring, a sixth tension spring, a seventh tension spring, an eighth tension spring, a ninth tension spring, a tenth tension spring, an eleventh tension spring, a twelfth tension spring, a thirteenth tension spring, a fourteenth tension spring, and a fifteenth tension spring; wherein one end of the first tension spring, one end of the second tension spring, one end of the third tension spring, one end of the fourth tension spring, and one end of the fifth tension spring are respectively connected to one end of the central driving pressure rod; one end of the eleventh tension spring, one end of the twelfth tension spring, one end of the thirteenth tension spring, one end of the fourteenth tension spring, and one end of the fifteenth tension spring are respectively connected to the other end of the central driving pressure rod; the first tension spring, the second tension spring, the third tension spring, the fourth tension spring, and the fifth tension spring are evenly arranged along the circumference of one end of the central driving pressure rod; the tenth tension spring, the eleventh tension spring, the twelfth tension spring, the thirteenth tension spring, the fourteenth tension spring, and the fifteenth tension spring are evenly arranged along the circumference of the other end of the central driving pressure rod; The six driving rods also include a first driving rod, a second driving rod, a third driving rod, a fourth driving rod and a fifth driving rod; Among them, one end of the first driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the first tension spring and one end of the sixth tension spring, and the other end of the first driving pressure rod is connected to one end of the seventh tension spring and the thirteenth tension spring; one end of the second driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the sixth tension spring and the other end of the twelfth tension spring, and the other end of the second driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the third tension spring and one end of the eighth tension spring; one end of the third driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the eleventh tension spring and one end of the eighth tension spring, and the other end of the third driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the fifth tension spring and one end of the ninth tension spring; one end of the fourth driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the fifteenth tension spring and the other end of the ninth tension spring, and the other end of the fourth driving pressure rod is connected to one end of the tenth tension spring and the other end of the fourth tension spring; one end of the fifth driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the fourteenth tension spring and the other end of the tenth tension spring, and the other end of the fifth driving pressure rod is connected to the other end of the seventh tension spring and the other end of the second tension spring.

2. The multimodal motion robot based on tensegrity structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first tension spring, the second tension spring, the third tension spring, the fourth tension spring, the fifth tension spring, the eleventh tension spring, the twelfth tension spring, the thirteenth tension spring, the fourteenth tension spring, and the fifteenth tension spring are tension springs of the first specification; The sixth tension spring, the seventh tension spring, the eighth tension spring, the ninth tension spring, and the tenth tension spring are tension springs of the second specification; The two specifications of the extension springs have different lengths and stiffnesses, while the extension springs of the same specification have the same length and elastic coefficient.

3. The multimodal motion robot based on tensegrity structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The lengths of the first driving pressure rod, the second driving pressure rod, the third driving pressure rod, the fourth driving pressure rod, the fifth driving pressure rod and the central driving pressure rod are adjustable.

4. The multimodal motion robot based on tensegrity structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The first driving pressure rod, the second driving pressure rod, the third driving pressure rod, the fourth driving pressure rod and the fifth driving pressure rod are all electric push rods, air cylinders or hydraulic cylinders.

5. The multimodal motion robot based on tensegrity structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The central driving pressure rod is an electric push rod, a cylinder or a hydraulic cylinder.

6. The multimodal motion robot based on tensegrity structure according to claim 1, characterized in that: The diameter of the circular wheel is set according to specific circumstances.

7. A control method for a tensegrity-based multimodal motion robot, implemented based on the tensegrity-based multimodal motion robot according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that: include: The control module controls the central driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module to contract, the peristaltic module to extend radially and contract axially, and the circular wheel in the rolling module contacts the ground. The control module controls the circular wheel in the rolling module to rotate, thereby realizing rolling motion; The control module controls the extension of the central driving pressure rod in the peristaltic module, so that the peristaltic module extends axially and contracts radially. The circular wheel in the rolling module does not contact the ground, and the three driving pressure rods in the peristaltic module contact the ground. The control module controls the extension of the two driving pressure rods in the peristaltic module that do not contact the ground, so that the center of gravity of the robot changes and peristaltic motion is achieved. The control module controls the operation of the quadrotor in the flight module to achieve flight movement.

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