A tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media

Abstract

This invention provides a tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media, comprising a tip-extending portion, a drive portion, and an extension length measurement unit. The internal soft cavity of the tip-extending portion is housed within a transparent external cavity in a flip-out manner. The drive portion is connected to the air intake chamber of the external base portion via a flexible hose, supplying high-pressure gas to the air intake chamber to drive the closed end of the internal soft cavity to flip and extend outward from one end of the transparent external cavity. The extension length measurement unit includes a flexible traction member and a rotating roller. One end of the flexible traction member is connected to the tip of the internal soft cavity, and the other end of the flexible traction member is wound around the rotating roller. When the tip of the internal soft cavity flips and extends outward, it drives the flexible traction member to move together. The tunneling depth is determined by measuring the length pulled out of the flexible traction member from the rotating roller. This invention's soft robot is capable of tip-extending tunneling and can accurately measure the extension length.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of soft robot technology, and particularly relates to a tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media. Background Technology

[0002] Particulate media (such as soil, gravel, and silt) are widely present in both surface and underground environments, and tunneling operations are a core component of tasks such as soil exploration, underground pipeline laying, landslide rescue, and shallow planetary exploration. Traditional tunneling equipment mostly uses rigid drill bits for rotary tunneling, which has drawbacks such as large size, poor environmental adaptability, and susceptibility to jamming and damage. While existing soft-body tunneling robots possess compliance, they generally suffer from the following technical challenges:

[0003] When using the overall creep or axial propulsion mode, the main body continuously rubs against the granular medium during movement, and the surface resistance of the side surface increases sharply with the increase of the tunneling length, making it difficult to achieve long-distance extended tunneling.

[0004] There is a lack of effective means for real-time measurement of extension length, and most of the time it relies on external vision or position sensors. In closed, turbid particulate media environments, the measurement accuracy is low and the response is slow, making it impossible to achieve precise path and depth control.

[0005] High tunneling resistance and the lack of effective resistance-relief structures designed for the characteristics of granular media result in low tunneling efficiency, high energy consumption, and difficulty in adapting to the operational requirements of complex granular environments. Furthermore, existing soft tunneling robots lack effective steering control methods in granular media, making path adjustment difficult.

[0006] To address the aforementioned issues, some studies have proposed designs for tip-extending soft robots, mimicking the growth principles of plant roots. These robots extend the tip by turning the main body outwards, reducing surface resistance. However, these approaches fail to solve the core problem of measuring the extension length. Existing soft robot length measurements often rely on external sensors or single strain gauges, which suffer from structural complexity, poor anti-interference capabilities, and insufficient measurement accuracy. Therefore, developing a tunneling soft robot that combines low-resistance tip extension, accurate extension length measurement, and flexible steering control is a crucial technological breakthrough urgently needed in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0007] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media, capable of tip-extending tunneling and accurately measuring the extension length.

[0008] Note that the description of these objectives does not preclude the existence of other objectives. One aspect of the invention does not require achieving all of the above objectives. Objectives other than those described above can be extracted from the description, drawings, and claims.

[0009] The present invention achieves the above-mentioned technical objectives through the following technical means.

[0010] A tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media includes a tip-extending portion, a drive portion, and an extension length measuring unit.

[0011] The tip extension is a double-layered tubular structure, with the inner layer being a sealed air cavity, i.e., an internal soft cavity, and the outer layer being a transparent external cavity. The internal soft cavity is accommodated in the transparent external cavity in a way that allows it to be flipped outward.

[0012] The drive unit is connected to the air intake chamber of the outer base part through a hose, and is used to provide high-pressure gas to the air intake chamber. The high-pressure gas enters the gap between the transparent outer cavity and the inner soft cavity, so as to drive the closed end of the inner soft cavity to flip outward from one end of the transparent outer cavity, thereby realizing the tip extension tunneling.

[0013] The extension length measuring unit includes a flexible traction member and a rotating roller. One end of the flexible traction member is connected to the tip of the internal soft cavity, and the other end of the flexible traction member is wrapped around the rotating roller. When the tip of the internal soft cavity flips outward and extends, it drives the flexible traction member to move together. The tunneling depth is determined by measuring the length that the flexible traction member is pulled out from the rotating roller.

[0014] In the above scheme, the tip extension portion also includes a connecting disc, a sealing ring, and an air supply cover;

[0015] The opening end of the inner soft cavity is fixedly connected to one side of the connecting plate, and the opening end of the transparent outer cavity is connected to the other side of the connecting plate by bolts, and the sealing ring is provided at the connection interface between the connecting plate and the transparent outer cavity;

[0016] The gas supply cover is located between the air inlet and the transparent outer cavity. One end is connected to the air outlet of the air inlet and the other end is connected to the air inlet of the transparent outer cavity. It is used to introduce high-pressure gas from the air inlet into the gap between the transparent outer cavity and the inner soft cavity, so as to drive the inner soft cavity to flip and extend outward.

[0017] In the above scheme, the flexible traction component of the extension length measuring unit is a thin rope, one end of which is connected to the tip of the internal soft cavity, and the other end is wrapped around the rotating roller; the tunneling depth is determined by measuring the length of the thin rope pulled out from the rotating roller.

[0018] Furthermore, the thin rope is marked with two different colors to indicate equally spaced intervals. The color markings on the thin rope can be observed from the outside through the transparent external cavity to directly read the tunneling depth.

[0019] The above scheme also includes a steering control mechanism;

[0020] The steering control mechanism includes three steering traction components. One end of each steering traction component is connected to the inner wall of the internal soft cavity, and the other end of each steering traction component passes through the guide ring on the connecting plate and extends to the outside. During the extension process, the extension direction of the tip is changed by pulling different steering traction components.

[0021] Furthermore, the steering control mechanism also includes three flexible fixing elements;

[0022] Each flexible fastener has two through holes through which nylon wires are threaded and bound together to form a loop. The three flexible fasteners are attached to the inner wall of the internal soft cavity at a 120° angle. The three steering traction components pass through the corresponding loops, and one end of each steering traction component is fixed to the flexible fastener.

[0023] Furthermore, the steering traction component is a thin rope, and the flexible fixing component is a thin silicone strip.

[0024] In the above scheme, the internal soft cavity is made of a flexible elastic material.

[0025] Furthermore, the internal soft cavity is made of T05 silicone material.

[0026] In the above scheme, the internal soft cavity adopts a corrugated tube structure; the outer surface of the internal soft cavity is provided with triangular corrugated protrusions to increase the friction between it and the particulate medium.

[0027] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are:

[0028] 1. In this invention, the tip extension portion adopts an outward flipping extension method, and the extension movement only occurs at the tip. The extended body remains relatively stationary with respect to the environment, significantly reducing frictional resistance. In granular media such as sand and soil, the contact resistance is much lower than that of traditional rigid robots.

[0029] 2. The present invention can accurately measure the length of the tip extension by means of the flexible traction component and rotating roller of the extension length measuring unit. Compared with the traditional method that relies on external sensors, it is simpler and more convenient, and is suitable for closed, turbid particulate media environments.

[0030] 3. The present invention, through a steering control mechanism comprising three steering traction components and a flexible fixing component, allows for left and right steering by pulling different steering traction components, enabling flexible movement in particulate media and achieving convenient path adjustment.

[0031] 4. The present invention has a flexible overall structure, with the internal soft cavity made of flexible elastic material. The extended part has no rigid moving parts, making it less prone to jamming or damage. It is suitable for various particulate media such as soil, gravel, and silt, and can be widely used in soil exploration, underground facility laying, landslide rescue, shallow planetary exploration and other scenarios.

[0032] 5. The internal soft cavity of this invention can adopt a corrugated tube structure. The triangular corrugated protrusions on its outer surface can increase the friction between the material and the particulate medium, which is helpful for tip excavation. At the same time, the color mark on the thin rope can be directly observed through the transparent outer cavity to read the extension length, making the operation simple. Attached Figure Description

[0033] Figure 1 This is an external overall layout diagram of a tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0034] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0035] Figure 3 This is an isometric view of a tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0036] Figure 4 This is an extended schematic diagram of a tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0037] Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram showing the installation of a thin rope with an internal soft cavity and a rotating roller according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the steering control mechanism according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] Figure 7 This is a time-resistance relationship curve of one embodiment of the present invention.

[0040] Figure 8 This is a pressure-response relationship curve according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] In the diagram, 1-1: Aluminum profile frame; 1-2: Support plate; 1-3: Force gauge; 1-4: Air inlet chamber; 1-5: Pellet bucket; 2-1: Internal soft cavity; 2-2: Transparent external cavity; 2-3: Connecting plate; 2-4: Sealing ring; 2-5: Gas delivery round cover; 4-1: Rotating roller; 4-2: Shaft. Detailed Implementation

[0042] Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein the same or similar reference numerals denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions throughout. The embodiments described below with reference to the accompanying drawings are exemplary and intended to explain the present invention, and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0043] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "upper," "lower," "axial," "radial," "vertical," "horizontal," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicating orientation or positional relationships based on the orientation or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, are only for the convenience of describing the invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore should not be construed as a limitation of the invention. Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Thus, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0044] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; and they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0045] Figure 1-3 The image shows a preferred embodiment of the tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media, which includes a tip-extending portion, a drive portion, and an extension length measuring unit.

[0046] The tip extension is a double-layered tubular structure, with the inner layer being a sealed air cavity, i.e., an inner soft cavity 2-1, and the outer layer being a transparent outer cavity 2-2. The inner soft cavity 2-1 is accommodated in the transparent outer cavity 2-2 in a way that allows it to be flipped outward.

[0047] The drive unit is connected to the air intake chamber 1-4 of the outer base via a hose, providing high-pressure gas to the air intake chamber 1-4. This high-pressure gas enters the gap between the transparent outer cavity 2-2 and the inner flexible cavity 2-1, driving the closed end of the inner flexible cavity 2-1 to rotate outward from one end of the transparent outer cavity 2-2, achieving tip extension tunneling. Figure 4 As shown;

[0048] The extension length measuring unit includes a flexible traction member and a rotating roller 4-1. One end of the flexible traction member is connected to the tip of the inner soft cavity 2-1, and the other end of the flexible traction member is wrapped around the rotating roller 4-1. When the tip of the inner soft cavity 2-1 flips outward and extends, it drives the flexible traction member to move together. The tunneling depth is determined by measuring the length that the flexible traction member is pulled out from the rotating roller 4-1.

[0049] The tip extension also includes a connecting plate 2-3, a sealing ring 2-4, and an air supply round cover 2-5; the opening end of the inner soft cavity 2-1 is fixedly connected to one side of the connecting plate 2-3, the opening end of the transparent outer cavity 2-2 is connected to the other side of the connecting plate 2-3 by bolts, and the sealing ring 2-4 is located at the connection interface between the connecting plate 2-3 and the transparent outer cavity 2-2;

[0050] The gas supply cover 2-5 is located between the air inlet 1-4 and the transparent outer cavity 2-2. One end is connected to the air outlet of the air inlet 1-4, and the other end is connected to the air inlet of the transparent outer cavity 2-2. It is used to introduce high-pressure gas from the air inlet 1-4 into the gap between the transparent outer cavity 2-2 and the inner soft cavity 2-1, so as to drive the inner soft cavity 2-1 to rotate and extend outward.

[0051] like Figure 5 As shown, the flexible traction component of the extension length measuring unit is a thin rope. One end of the thin rope is connected to the tip of the internal soft cavity 2-1, and the other end is wrapped around the rotating roller 4-1. The tunneling depth is determined by measuring the length of the thin rope pulled out from the rotating roller 4-1.

[0052] The thin rope is marked with two different colors to indicate equally spaced intervals. The color markings on the thin rope can be observed from the outside through the transparent external cavity 2-2 to directly read the tunneling depth.

[0053] like Figure 6 As shown, the tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media also includes a steering control mechanism.

[0054] The steering control mechanism includes three steering traction components. One end of each steering traction component is connected to the inner wall of the internal soft cavity 2-1, and the other end of each steering traction component passes through the guide ring set on the connecting disc 2-3 and extends to the outside. During the extension process, the extension direction of the tip is changed by pulling different steering traction components.

[0055] The steering control mechanism also includes three flexible fasteners;

[0056] Each flexible fastener has two through holes, through which nylon wires are threaded and bound to form loops; the three flexible fasteners are attached to the inner wall of the internal soft cavity 2-1 at a 120° angle, and the three steering traction components pass through the corresponding loops, with one end of each steering traction component fixed to the flexible fastener.

[0057] The steering traction component is a thin rope, and the flexible fixing component is a thin silicone strip.

[0058] The internal soft cavity 2-1 is made of a flexible elastic material. Preferably, the internal soft cavity 2-1 is made of T05 silicone material.

[0059] The internal soft cavity 2-1 adopts a corrugated tube structure; the outer surface of the internal soft cavity 2-1 is provided with triangular corrugated protrusions to increase the friction between it and the particulate medium.

[0060] In one specific embodiment of the present invention, a photosensitive resin and a stereolithography 3D printer are used to print an integrated elastomer for fabricating soft robots, achieving a more novel, efficient, and convenient result. Specifically:

[0061] First, using the 3D design software SolidWorks, a biomimetic soft robot for tip extension in granular media, an external base, and a drive unit were designed. The external base includes an aluminum profile frame 1-1, a support plate 1-2, a force gauge 1-3, an air inlet chamber 1-4, and a drive unit. The drive unit includes an air pump and a pressure regulating valve. The air pump's outlet is connected to the pressure regulating valve's inlet, and the pressure regulating valve's outlet is connected to the air inlet chamber 1-4 via a flexible hose. The force gauge 1-3 is used to measure the forces acting on the soft robot during tunneling. The design of the biomimetic soft robot for tip extension in granular media consists of two layers: an outer transparent external cavity 2-2 and an inner soft cavity 2-1. The inner layer has various shapes, including corrugated pipe, smooth inner wall, and dotted protrusion, to allow for different experiments. Selecting a suitable inner wall can improve tip extension. The inner and outer layers were assembled together and installed on an experimental platform, and experiments were conducted using a suitable granular medium. The length of the extended tip can be measured by measuring the length of the flexible traction component pulled out using the extension length measurement unit. Then, by observing the changes in the readings of force gauges 1-3, from the initial weight gradually decreasing to 0 and then gradually increasing in the opposite direction, the change in frictional force during tip extension can be observed. Finally, a graph showing the relationship between pressure, depth, time, and force can be plotted using Origin for dynamic analysis.

[0062] The 3D model design process for the tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media is as follows:

[0063] This embodiment designs a corrugated tube-shaped internal flexible cavity 2-1. The total length of the corrugated tube is designed to be 16cm. The protruding part of the corrugated tube is in the shape of a 45° triangle, with a 2mm rounded corner at the top of each triangle, and each triangle is spaced 2mm apart. The protruding part of the corrugated tube restricts radial expansion to a certain extent, allowing it to extend forward better than a smooth inner wall. To better observe the color of the flexible traction element (in this embodiment, the thin rope), transparent silicone is used for the transparent outer cavity 2-2. The transparent outer cavity 2-2 includes two shaft support frames, which are set inside the transparent outer cavity 2-2 to fix the shaft 4-2. The rotating roller 4-1 is rotatably sleeved on the shaft 4-2, and both ends of the shaft 4-2 are supported by the two shaft support frames respectively. In this way, the flexible traction element thin rope is wound around the rotating roller 4-1. When the tip extends and pulls the thin rope, the rotating roller 4-1 rotates around the shaft 4-2, thereby smoothly releasing the thin rope. The transparent outer cavity 2-2 has a total length of 20cm, a diameter of 40mm, and a thickness of 3mm. The gas supply cover 2-5 connects the air inlet cavity 1-4 and the transparent outer cavity 2-2. Specifically, the gas supply cover 2-5 is located between the air inlet cavity 1-4 and the transparent outer cavity 2-2, with one end connected to the air outlet of the air inlet cavity 1-4 and the other end connected to the air inlet of the transparent outer cavity 2-2. It is used to introduce high-pressure gas from the air inlet cavity 1-4 into the gap between the transparent outer cavity 2-2 and the inner soft cavity 2-1, thereby driving the inner soft cavity 2-1 to rotate and extend outwards. The connecting plate 2-3 is located between the opening end of the inner soft cavity 2-1 and the opening end of the transparent outer cavity 2-2. The opening end of the inner soft cavity 2-1 is attached to one side of the connecting plate 2-3 with silicone adhesive. The other side of the connecting plate 2-3 is connected to the flange of the opening end of the transparent outer cavity 2-2 with bolts. A sealing ring 2-4 is provided at the connection interface. A guide ring is provided on the connecting plate 2-3. Three steering traction ropes are led out from inside the inner soft cavity 2-1, pass through the guide ring on the connecting plate 2-3, and then lead out to the outside.

[0064] The experimental preparation process for the tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media is as follows:

[0065] The corresponding molds were pre-designed and printed using a 3D printer. T05, T00, and T03 silicones were used for comparative experiments. The silicones were mixed 1:1 and stirred for 1 minute, then placed in a vacuum pump to remove air bubbles, and removed after 20 minutes. A release agent was pre-sprayed onto the mold surface, and the bubble-removed silicone was poured into the mold. It was allowed to stand at room temperature for 4 hours before demolding. The softness of the three silicones was compared, and T05 silicone was ultimately selected as the material for preparing the internal soft cavity 2-1. In 0.5cm intervals, two different colored markers were used to mark the sections on a 35cm long string. The marked string was wound around a rotating roller 4-1, with the other end connected to the tip of the internal soft cavity 2-1. The demolded internal soft cavity 2-1 was connected to the connecting plate 2-3 using silicone-specific glue. Then, the sealing ring 2-4 was placed into the groove of the transparent outer cavity 2-2, and the transparent outer cavity 2-2 and the internal soft cavity 2-1 were connected with bolts and nuts.

[0066] The installation process of the steering control mechanism is as follows: Three flexible fasteners are prepared (in this embodiment, thin silicone strips). Each flexible fastener has two through holes. Nylon thread is passed through the two through holes and knotted to form a loop. The three flexible fasteners are attached to the inner wall of the internal soft cavity 2-1 near the opening at a 120° angle. Three steering traction components (in this embodiment, thin ropes) are inserted through the corresponding loops. One end of each steering traction component is fixed to a flexible fastener, and the other end passes through a guide ring on the connecting disc 2-3 and extends to the outside. During the extension of the tip, the extension direction of the internal soft cavity 2-1 is controlled by pulling different steering traction components.

[0067] The entire tip extension robot was mounted on the experimental platform. A force gauge with a graduation of 0.5N (1-3), an 1100W air pump, and an IR2000-02BG pressure regulating valve were selected for the experiment. A pellet container (1-5) with a diameter of 20cm and a height of 70cm was used, containing pre-prepared pellets—hydroponic beads with a diameter of 1cm.

[0068] The experimental testing process for the tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media is as follows: To test the extension effect, and to better record data, the force gauge readings, pressure valve readings, and the distance the flexible traction cable is pulled out are recorded every 0.5 seconds. The color intervals on the cable are observed, the number of intervals is recorded, and the extended length is measured. This experiment is repeated multiple times, the average value is taken, and finally, a line graph is plotted using Origin, as shown below. Figure 7 and Figure 8 As shown, the internal cavity was compared using two different shapes: a smooth cylinder and a corrugated tube. Figure 7 It can be seen that the corrugated pipe experiences greater resistance during its extension process, while the cylindrical pipe requires a shorter extension time. Figure 8It can be seen that the extension length of the traction rope of both is about 17cm, but the required initial pressure is different. The initial pressure required for the corrugated tube is 2kPa, which is significantly higher than that for the cylindrical type. Therefore, it can be concluded that the inner cavity of the cylindrical type is easier to extend. The extension of the inner soft cavity 2-1 can reach a maximum of 17cm. Under a pressure of 100kPa, it can completely extend into the particulate medium in 3 seconds. The extension effect of the corrugated tube structure is better, extending vertically downward with a very small angle of deviation.

[0069] The internal soft cavity 2-1 described in this invention is an elastic sealing film structure, employing an inward-outward folding design. In its initial state, the internal soft cavity 2-1 is folded in reverse and housed within the transparent external cavity 2-2 (inward folding state). Under high-pressure gas drive, the closed end of the internal soft cavity rolls outward like a sock, achieving tip extension. In the initial state, the internal soft cavity 2-1 is adhered to the connecting plate 2-3 with quick-drying silicone adhesive, and then bolts are used to connect the connecting plate 2-3 to the transparent external cavity 2-2. The drive mechanism continuously folds the internal soft cavity 2-1 outward from its internal excavation inlet / outlet, forming a burrowing shape with the tip extending outward. The outer layer uses hard, wear-resistant transparent silicone as the transparent external cavity 2-2, which contains a housing cavity, a drive component mounting position, and an inlet / outlet. The internal soft cavity 2-1 is made of a highly elastic, low-friction coefficient flexible material (such as TPU or silicone). The drive mechanism primarily uses an air pump to output gas, with a precision pressure regulating valve controlling the gas volume. The extension length measuring unit includes a rotating roller 4-1, a shaft 4-2, and a flexible traction component (a thin rope in this embodiment). One end of the thin rope is connected to the tip of the internal soft cavity 2-1, and the other end is wrapped around the rotating roller 4-1. The connection method of the thin rope is as follows: Figure 5 As shown. Divide the string into sections in advance (in 0.5cm increments) using two different colored pens. As the tip extends, the color markings on the string can be observed through the transparent outer cavity 2-2, and the length of the tip extension can be determined.

[0070] This invention employs an inward-outward flipping design. The internal soft cavity 2-1 of the tip extension is housed within a transparent external cavity 2-2 by flipping outward. The extension movement occurs only at the tip, and the extended body remains relatively stationary with respect to the environment, significantly reducing lateral surface friction resistance. In granular media such as sand and soil, the contact resistance is far lower than that of traditional rigid robots, enabling long-distance, low-energy tip extension tunneling.

[0071] This invention uses a flexible traction element (such as a thin rope) and a rotating roller 4-1 in the extension length measuring unit to convert the displacement of the tip of the inner soft cavity 2-1 into the length that the flexible traction element is pulled out from the rotating roller. The color mark on the thin rope can be directly observed through the transparent outer cavity 2-2, realizing direct reading of the tunneling depth. Compared with the traditional method that relies on external sensors, it is simpler and more convenient, and is suitable for closed, turbid particulate media environments.

[0072] This invention, through a steering control mechanism (including three steering traction components and a flexible fixing component), can change the extension direction of the internal soft cavity 2-1 by pulling different steering traction components, enabling flexible movement in granular media and convenient path adjustment, thus overcoming the deficiency of existing soft tunneling robots that lack effective steering means.

[0073] The invention features a flexible overall structure. The internal soft cavity 2-1 is made of a flexible elastic material, and the extended portion has no rigid moving parts, making it less prone to jamming or damage. The internal soft cavity 2-1 can adopt a corrugated tube structure, and the triangular corrugated protrusions on its outer surface can increase the friction with the granular medium, which is conducive to tip tunneling. This invention is applicable to various granular media such as soil, gravel, and silt, and can be widely used in soil exploration, underground facility laying, landslide rescue, and shallow planetary exploration.

[0074] It should be understood that although this specification is described according to various embodiments, not every embodiment contains only one independent technical solution. This way of describing the specification is only for clarity. Those skilled in the art should regard the specification as a whole. The technical solutions in each embodiment can also be appropriately combined to form other implementation methods that can be understood by those skilled in the art.

[0075] The detailed descriptions listed above are merely specific illustrations of feasible embodiments of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent embodiments or modifications made without departing from the spirit of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media, characterized in that, It includes a tip extension portion, a drive portion, and an extension length measurement unit; The tip extension is a double-layered tubular structure, with the inner layer being a sealed air cavity, i.e., an internal soft cavity (2-1), and the outer layer being a transparent external cavity (2-2). The internal soft cavity (2-1) is accommodated in the transparent external cavity (2-2) in a way that allows it to be flipped outward. The drive unit is connected to the air inlet chamber (1-4) of the outer base part via a hose, and is used to provide high-pressure gas to the air inlet chamber (1-4). The high-pressure gas enters the gap between the transparent outer cavity (2-2) and the inner soft cavity (2-1) to drive the closed end of the inner soft cavity (2-1) to flip outward from one end of the transparent outer cavity (2-2) to achieve tip extension tunneling. The extension length measuring unit includes a flexible traction member and a rotating roller (4-1). One end of the flexible traction member is connected to the tip of the inner soft cavity (2-1), and the other end of the flexible traction member is wrapped around the rotating roller (4-1). When the tip of the inner soft cavity (2-1) flips outward and extends, it drives the flexible traction member to move together. The tunneling depth is determined by measuring the length of the flexible traction member pulled out from the rotating roller (4-1).

2. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tip extension (2) also includes a connecting plate (2-3), a sealing ring (2-4), and an air supply cover (2-5). The opening end of the inner soft cavity (2-1) is fixedly connected to one side of the connecting plate (2-3), and the opening end of the transparent outer cavity (2-2) is connected to the other side of the connecting plate (2-3) by bolts. The sealing ring (2-4) is located at the connection interface between the connecting plate (2-3) and the transparent outer cavity (2-2). The gas supply cover (2-5) is located between the air inlet (1-4) and the transparent outer cavity (2-2). One end is connected to the air outlet of the air inlet (1-4), and the other end is connected to the air inlet of the transparent outer cavity (2-2). It is used to introduce high-pressure gas from the air inlet (1-4) into the gap between the transparent outer cavity (2-2) and the inner soft cavity (2-1) to drive the inner soft cavity (2-1) to rotate and extend outward.

3. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 1, characterized in that, The flexible traction component of the extension length measuring unit is a thin rope. One end of the thin rope is connected to the tip of the internal soft cavity (2-1), and the other end is wrapped around the rotating roller (4-1). The tunneling depth is determined by measuring the length of the thin rope pulled out from the rotating roller (4-1).

4. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 3, characterized in that, The thin rope is marked with two different colors to indicate equally spaced intervals. The color markings on the thin rope can be observed from the outside through the transparent external cavity (2-2) to directly read the tunneling depth.

5. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes a steering control mechanism; The steering control mechanism includes three steering traction components. One end of each steering traction component is connected to the inner wall of the internal soft cavity (2-1), and the other end of each steering traction component passes through the guide ring set on the connecting disc (2-3) and extends to the outside. During the extension process, the extension direction of the tip is changed by pulling different steering traction components.

6. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 5, characterized in that, The steering control mechanism also includes three flexible fasteners; Each flexible fastener has two through holes, through which nylon wires are threaded and bound to form loops; the three flexible fasteners are attached to the inner wall of the internal soft cavity (2-1) at a 120° angle, and the three steering traction components pass through the corresponding loops respectively, with one end of the steering traction component fixed to the flexible fastener.

7. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 6, characterized in that, The steering traction component is a thin rope, and the flexible fixing component is a thin silicone strip.

8. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal soft cavity (2-1) is made of a flexible elastic material.

9. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 8, characterized in that, The internal soft cavity (2-1) is made of T05 silicone material.

10. The tip-extending biomimetic tunneling soft robot for particulate media according to claim 1, characterized in that, The internal soft cavity (2-1) adopts a corrugated tube structure; the outer surface of the internal soft cavity (2-1) is provided with triangular corrugated protrusions to increase the friction between it and the particulate medium.

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