Robotic Bouncing Ball Dynamics and Elastic Shell Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current robots lack innovative locomotion methods that can attract attention and provide entertainment, especially in crowded settings, and there is a need for robots that can safely navigate through obstacles and interact with humans in novel ways.
Innovation Solution
A robotic bouncing ball with a spherical, elastomeric body that uses internal actuators and controllers to achieve controlled bouncing and steerable movement in the Z, X, and Y directions, allowing it to navigate obstacles and interact with its environment through sensors and projection capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a robot uses conventional rolling or walking locomotion, then it can move across surfaces, but it cannot attract attention or provide entertainment in crowded settings
Solution Approach 1:
The robot transitions from static rolling/walking to dynamic bouncing locomotion, where the spherical body repeatedly contacts and rebounds from the ground. This dynamic motion creates visually engaging behavior that attracts attention while maintaining relatively simple mechanical components
Solution Approach 2:
The robot changes its physical state by varying bounce height, frequency, and trajectory. By controlling the amplitude and timing of bouncing movements, the robot creates entertaining patterns and interactions without requiring complex mechanical structures
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a robot has a rigid body structure, then it can maintain structural integrity, but it cannot safely navigate through obstacles or interact with humans in crowded settings
Solution Approach 1:
The robot employs a spherical body with a flexible outer shell that can deform during bouncing and contact with obstacles or humans. This flexibility allows the robot to absorb impacts safely while maintaining overall structural integrity through the elastic properties of the shell material
Solution Approach 2:
The spherical body design inherently provides cushioning through its shape and material properties. The rounded form distributes contact forces over larger areas, and the elastic shell material absorbs impact energy, protecting both the robot and surrounding objects before damage can occur
3Productivity
If a robot uses simple rolling motion, then it can move efficiently, but it cannot bounce to varying heights or navigate obstacles effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The robot employs dynamic bouncing locomotion where the spherical body repeatedly contacts and rebounds from the ground. This dynamic motion allows the robot to clear obstacles by jumping over them and to navigate uneven surfaces by adapting bounce timing and height, while maintaining efficient movement through rhythmic bouncing patterns
Solution Approach 2:
The robot uses periodic bouncing cycles to achieve locomotion, where each bounce cycle consists of compression, rebound, and flight phases. By controlling the frequency and timing of these periodic bounces, the robot efficiently moves across surfaces while gaining the ability to clear obstacles and adapt to varying terrain
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The robotic bouncing ball provides a unique and engaging form of locomotion that can attract attention, safely navigate through obstacles, and interact with humans, offering a new class of robotic characters that can entertain and perform tasks in various settings.
Implementation Method 1
The spherical body is formed with a thin wall of elastomeric material or elastic material such as a rubber or the like. The driver is operable to apply a deforming force to the first portion of the outer wall... the outer wall includes at least a first portion formed of an elastic material
Data Source
AI summary
A robot with an elastic, spherically-shaped body with controlled bouncing locomotion. This robot may be called “a robotic bouncing ball.” The robotic bouncing ball can be used to provide a new class of robotic characters that are ball-like, and these new robotic characters bounce in place and from one location to another. The spherical body will typically be formed with a thin wall of elastic material such as a rubber or the like, and a drive or actuator assembly along with a local controller and a power source are positioned in the interior space of the hollow body. The controller controls the drive assembly to cause the spherical body to bounce up and down vertically and to provide horizontal/lateral movement of the spherical body through the applications of deforming and/or reforming forces on the elastic outer wall.