Water-air amphibious bionic robot with variable form

Abstract

The invention discloses a bionic water-air amphibious bionic robot with a variable form. The bionic water-air amphibious bionic robot is composed of a bionic body, a deformation mechanism and a driving system. The bionic main body integrates a streamline structure of fish and an efficient pneumatic shape of birds, and the transformation mechanism realizes efficient switching of fish-bird forms. The driving system works cooperatively with propellers through steering engines, and water swimming propulsion and air flying propulsion are achieved respectively. The robot has high flexibility and excellent movement performance, is suitable for multiple fields of disaster rescue, environment monitoring, unmanned and anti-unmanned reconnaissance and the like, and provides an innovative solution for complex environment operation tasks.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of robotics, and in particular to a shape-changing water-air amphibious robot combining bionics principles, which is suitable for scenes such as environmental monitoring, disaster relief and military reconnaissance. Background Art

[0002] The application of unmanned systems in air and underwater environments has received widespread attention, such as the application of drones in aerial reconnaissance, monitoring and transportation, and the contribution of underwater robots in ocean exploration and resource development. However, these systems can usually only work efficiently in a single medium and have difficulty coping with complex multi-media environments, such as scenes at the interface of the ocean and the air. In the technical game between unmanned and anti-unmanned, multi-environment mission capabilities have become the key to breakthroughs. By integrating flight and swimming capabilities, water-air amphibious robots can not only flexibly respond to dynamic changes in scenes from the water surface to the air, but also overcome the problems of traditional single-media robots in tracking, avoiding and executing tasks.

[0003] Traditional water-air amphibious aircraft completely rely on fixed-wing or multi-rotor drive systems, and have problems such as poor environmental adaptability, low energy efficiency and insufficient concealment. Combining the fluid dynamics of fish with the aerodynamics of birds, the design of bionic amphibious robots can overcome these limitations and achieve high efficiency and flexibility in cross-media mission execution. This type of robot shows great potential in the fields of environmental monitoring, disaster relief and anti-unmanned reconnaissance, but there is currently little research on it. Summary of the invention

[0004] In view of the shortcomings of existing unmanned systems that can only work efficiently in a single medium environment and are difficult to cope with complex environments, as well as the lack of environmental adaptability and concealment of traditional water and air amphibious aircraft, the present invention designs a variable-form water and air amphibious bionic robot. The robot is endowed with the ability to change its form to adapt to the needs of complex tasks through a lightweight and deformable structure. The robot has the characteristics of strong mobility, high flexibility, fast deformation speed, strong concealment, etc.

[0005] The object of the present invention is achieved through the following technical solutions: a water-air amphibious bionic robot with a variable form, the bionic robot comprising:

[0006] The body shape conversion mechanism comprises a main frame, a gear transmission mechanism driven by a deformation steering gear, a hinged heptagonal shell frame, and carbon rods and carbon tubes connected to each other in a sliding manner; the heptagonal shell frame is connected to the main frame through the carbon rods and carbon tubes, and the heptagonal shell frame is connected to the gear transmission mechanism, and the posture is adjusted so that it is spindle-shaped in water and flat in the air;

[0007] The folding wing mechanism controls the unfolding or folding of the wing through the folding wing servo. The end of the wing is equipped with a vector servo and a propeller to provide lift during flight.

[0008] The tail fin switching mechanism controls the tail fin to switch between vertical and horizontal states through a variable tail servo, and controls the swinging movement of the tail fin through a swing tail servo.

[0009] Furthermore, the left and right sides and the lower side of the main frame are connected to the heptagonal outer shell frame through carbon rods and carbon tubes that are slidably connected to each other.

[0010] Furthermore, the gear transmission mechanism is installed on the main frame, and the two sides of the heptagonal shell frame are connected by gears and connecting rods. The gears, connecting rods, and carbon rods and carbon tubes connected to the two sides of the heptagonal shell frame together constitute a centrifugally symmetrical crank slider mechanism.

[0011] Furthermore, when in water, the tail fin is in a vertical position, swinging left and right to achieve forward movement and turning, and when in the air, it is in a horizontal position, swinging up and down to assist in adjusting the pitch angle.

[0012] Furthermore, the folding wing mechanism includes a folding wing frame, a vector servo is installed at the end of the folding wing frame and is connected to the propeller through a brushless motor, and the vector servo is used to change the thrust direction of the brushless motor.

[0013] Furthermore, the side wings of the folding and spreading wing mechanism are folded to serve as ventral fins in the fish form and are spread out to serve as wings in the bird form.

[0014] Furthermore, the main body of the bionic robot is assembled from 3D-printed PLA parts and covered with a flexible silicone skin.

[0015] Furthermore, the robot includes a control module, which is composed of a sensor, a processor and an actuator; the sensor is responsible for obtaining data on the current state of the robot, including posture and acceleration information; the processor is responsible for processing and analyzing the sensor data or control signals and generating corresponding control instructions; the actuator adjusts the robot's brushless motor speed and servo angle according to the instructions generated by the processor to achieve posture control.

[0016] Furthermore, the robot includes a communication module, which is composed of a receiver and a controller; the receiver is placed inside the robot, receives signals from the controller, and transmits them to the control module; the controller is outside the robot, controlled by an operator, and transmits instructions to the receiver via radio signals.

[0017] Furthermore, the robot includes a power module, which is composed of a rechargeable lithium battery, a distribution board and an electronic speed regulator; the lithium battery is connected to the distribution board to supply power to the control module and the electronic speed regulator, and the electronic speed regulator supplies power to the brushless motor.

[0018] The beneficial effects of the invention are as follows: the invention designs a form-changing water-air amphibious bionic robot, which has the ability to operate across water-air media, has the advantages of concealment and mobility, strong adaptability, high operating efficiency, high scalability, etc., and has broad application prospects and development potential in the fields of unmanned reconnaissance operations in water and air environments, environmental monitoring, disaster relief, etc. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 The figure is a schematic diagram of the overall appearance structure of the present invention in the form of a fish.

[0020] Figure 2 The figure is a schematic diagram of the overall appearance structure of the present invention in the bird form.

[0021] Figure 3 It is an exploded view of the overall structure of the present invention.

[0022] Figure 4 It is a schematic diagram of the body shape conversion mechanism of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the folding and spreading wing mechanism of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 6 It is a schematic diagram of the tail fin switching mechanism of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] In order to further explain the technical means and effects adopted by the present invention to achieve the predetermined invention purpose, the specific implementation methods, structures, features and principles of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0026] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, the present invention provides a variable-form water-air amphibious bionic robot, which realizes efficient movement and form switching in water and air by integrating bionic design, deformation mechanism and drive system. The bionic body integrates the streamlined structure of fish and the efficient aerodynamic shape of birds, and realizes the fish-bird form switching through multiple deformation mechanisms, and the drive system provides corresponding propulsion according to the form. The deformation mechanism includes a body form conversion mechanism, a folding and spreading wing mechanism and a tail fin adjustment mechanism, which are controlled by a steering gear to realize the form transformation and motion control of the bionic body. In the fish form, it is spindle-shaped, the side wings are folded as ventral fins, and the tail fin is vertically distributed; in the bird form, it is flat, the side wings are spread as wings, and the tail fin is horizontal. The drive system includes an underwater propulsion module and an aerial flight module; when the robot is underwater, it mainly relies on the steering gear to drive the tail fin to move, and when it is in the air, it adopts a rotor drive mode. The hardware of each module of the drive system is placed inside the trunk of the robot and fixed around the main skeleton. The drive system realizes switching and movement in two forms through 2.4GHz wireless control and autonomous control of flight control.

[0027] like Figure 3 As shown, the bionic body of the morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot is mainly composed of 3D printed PLA parts, and the surface is covered with a flexible silicone skin. It includes three deformation mechanisms: a body shape conversion mechanism 26, a folding and spreading wing mechanism 27, and a tail fin switching mechanism 28. A control module 29, a communication module 30, and a power module 31 are fixed inside the body.

[0028] like Figure 4 As shown, the body shape conversion mechanism 26 is composed of a main frame 1, a gear transmission mechanism 2, and a heptagonal shell frame 3. The main frame is used to position and fix various parts. When the body is deformed, the main frame remains stationary, and the heptagonal shell frame is connected by a hinge to achieve movement. The elastic ring 4 fixes the gear on the gear base, the M5 cylindrical pin 5 is used as the gear rotation axis, the first gear 6 is driven by the deformation steering engine 9, the M5 cylindrical pin 5 is inserted into the second gear 7 and the third gear 8 as the gear rotation axis, the third gear 8 is connected to the connecting rod 11, and the connecting rod 11 is connected to the heptagonal shell frame 3 through the M2 cylindrical pin 10, the first carbon rod 13 is fixed on the main frame, the first carbon tube 12 is fixed on both sides of the heptagonal shell 3, and can slide freely on the first carbon rod 13, and the third gear 8 and the connecting rod 11, the carbon tube 12, and the carbon rod 13 constitute a concentric symmetrical crank slider mechanism; the second carbon tube 14 is fixed on the main frame, and the second carbon rod 15 is fixed on the lower side of the heptagonal shell 3 to limit the degree of freedom. The degree of freedom of the entire mechanism is 1, and there is 1 active part. The number of active parts of the mechanism is equal to its number of degrees of freedom, and it has a definite motion.

[0029] like Figure 5 As shown, the tail fin switching mechanism 28 includes a tail servo 16, which is responsible for controlling the rotation of the tail fin 17 and can switch between vertical and horizontal states; and a tail servo 18, which is responsible for controlling the swinging movement of the tail fin 17, and performs left and right or up and down swinging movements in different states. During the tail fin switching process, since the robot skin needs to be fixed to the tail fin, in order to keep the robot skin in a static state, a bearing 19 is installed at the tail fin. The bearing sleeve is connected to the robot skin, and the bearing is fixed on the printed part.

[0030] like Figure 6 As shown, the folding wing mechanism 27 is composed of a folding wing servo 20, a servo bracket 21, a folding wing frame 22, a vector servo 23, a brushless motor 24 and a propeller 25. The servo bracket 21 is fixed on the first carbon tube 12, and the folding wing servo 20 is fixed on the servo bracket 21 through a servo steering wheel to control the unfolding or folding of the side wing. The vector servo 23 is located at the end of the folding wing frame 22 and is used to change the thrust direction of the brushless motor 24. The brushless motor 24 and the propeller 25 provide lift during flight.

[0031] The present invention provides a variable-form water-air amphibious bionic robot, which presents a fish shape when in water, and its body is spindle-shaped. At this time, the flight power module is in a stopped state, the fins on both sides of the body are close to the body, and the fin on one side can move independently, which can assist in adjusting the robot's motion posture. Since the fins are provided with brushless motors and have a certain weight, the center of gravity can be moved forward and backward during movement, resulting in a change in the pitch angle to achieve the robot's sinking and floating. The tail fin of the robot is in a vertical state and can swing left and right to achieve various movements in the water, including moving forward and turning. When the robot switches between water and air, the robot changes the tail fin from a vertical state to a horizontal state, and the tail fin can swing up and down to assist in adjusting the robot's pitch angle. At the same time, the body is converted from a spindle shape to a flat shape, the wings on both sides of the body are unfolded, and the flight power module starts to work, and the robot mainly presents a bird shape at this time. When the rotor generates a sufficiently large lift, the robot can fly out of the water to achieve water-air switching. In the air, since the rotors on both sides have corresponding vector servos to adjust the lift angle, the robot can complete forward, backward, turning, lifting and other movements. When the robot wants to enter the water again, it first slowly reduces the lift to allow the robot to land smoothly on the water surface. Then the body changes from a flat shape to a spindle shape, the wings on both sides move closer to the sides of the body, the tail fin changes from a horizontal state to a vertical state, and the flight power module stops working, completing the robot's transformation from a bird form to a fish form.

[0032] The present invention provides a drive system for a variable-form water-air amphibious bionic robot, comprising a control module 29, a power module, a communication module 30 and a power module 31, wherein the control module 29 is composed of a sensor, a processor and an actuator. The sensor is mainly responsible for obtaining data on the current state of the robot, including information such as posture and acceleration; the processor is responsible for processing and analyzing the sensor data or control signal and generating corresponding control instructions; the actuator adjusts the robot's brushless motor speed, steering gear angle, etc. according to the instructions generated by the processor to achieve posture control. The power module is mainly composed of a steering gear, a brushless motor and a rotor, etc., which provide power for swimming and flying. The communication module 30 includes a receiver and a controller. The receiver is placed inside the robot, receives signals from the controller, and transmits them to the control module; the controller is outside the robot, controlled by an operator, and transmits instructions to the receiver via radio signals. The power module 31 includes a rechargeable lithium battery, a distribution board, and an electronic speed regulator, wherein the lithium battery is connected to the control module and the electronic speed regulator through the distribution board; the electronic speed regulator powers the brushless motor, and also has a built-in battery-free circuit (BEC) to convert high voltage into 5V-6V voltage for use by electronic devices such as servos.

[0033] In summary, the present invention designs a variable-form water-air amphibious bionic robot with the ability to operate across water-air media, and has the advantages of concealment and mobility, strong adaptability, high operating efficiency, and high scalability. It has broad application prospects and development potential in the fields of unmanned reconnaissance operations in water and air environments, environmental monitoring, disaster relief, etc.

[0034] The above embodiments are used to illustrate the present invention rather than to limit the present invention. Any modification and change made to the present invention within the spirit of the present invention and the protection scope of the claims shall fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A bionic amphibious robot with a changeable form, characterized by: The bionic robot includes: The body shape conversion mechanism comprises a main frame, a gear transmission mechanism driven by a deformation steering gear, a hinged heptagonal shell frame, and carbon rods and carbon tubes connected to each other in a sliding manner; the heptagonal shell frame is connected to the main frame through the carbon rods and carbon tubes, and the heptagonal shell frame is connected to the gear transmission mechanism, and the posture is adjusted so that it is spindle-shaped in water and flat in the air; The folding wing mechanism controls the unfolding or folding of the wing through the folding wing servo. The end of the wing is equipped with a vector servo and a propeller to provide lift during flight. The tail fin switching mechanism controls the tail fin to switch between vertical and horizontal states through a variable tail servo, and controls the swinging movement of the tail fin through a swing tail servo.

2. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The left and right sides and the lower side of the main frame are connected to the heptagonal outer shell frame through carbon rods and carbon tubes that are slidably connected to each other.

3. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The gear transmission mechanism is installed on the main frame, and the two sides of the heptagonal shell frame are connected by gears and connecting rods. The gears, connecting rods, and carbon rods and carbon tubes connected on both sides of the heptagonal shell frame together constitute a concentrically symmetrical crank slider mechanism.

4. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: When in water, the tail fin is in a vertical position, swinging left and right to achieve forward movement and turning. When in the air, it is in a horizontal position, swinging up and down to help adjust the pitch angle.

5. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The folding wing mechanism comprises a folding wing frame, a vector servo is installed at the end of the folding wing frame and is connected to a propeller through a brushless motor, and the vector servo is used to change the thrust direction of the brushless motor.

6. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wing folding mechanism's side wings fold up to serve as ventral fins in fish form and unfold to serve as wings in bird form.

7. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The main body of the bionic robot is assembled from 3D printed PLA parts and covered with a flexible silicone skin.

8. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 1, characterized in that: The robot includes a control module, which is composed of sensors, processors and actuators; the sensors are responsible for obtaining data on the robot's current state, including posture and acceleration information; the processor is responsible for processing and analyzing sensor data or control signals and generating corresponding control instructions; the actuator adjusts the robot's brushless motor speed and servo angle according to the instructions generated by the processor to achieve posture control.

9. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The robot includes a communication module, which consists of a receiver and a controller; the receiver is placed inside the robot, receives signals from the controller, and transmits them to the control module; the controller is outside the robot, controlled by an operator, and transmits instructions to the receiver via radio signals.

10. The morphable water-air amphibious bionic robot according to claim 8, characterized in that: The robot includes a power module, which is composed of a rechargeable lithium battery, a distribution board and an electronic speed regulator; the lithium battery is connected to the distribution board to supply power to the control module and the electronic speed regulator, and the electronic speed regulator supplies power to the brushless motor.

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