Miniature Walking Robot With 3D-Printed Soft Joints and Links
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for fabricating miniature walking robots are labor-intensive and time-consuming, and existing technologies have not effectively utilized multimaterial 3D printing (MM3P) to create mechanisms with soft joints and links essential for generating robotic locomotion trajectories.
Innovation Solution
The use of multimaterial 3D printing (MM3P) to fabricate a miniature walking robot with soft joints and links, actuated by a single DC motor, where four legs are coupled to a drive train with a gear motor, allowing for various foot trajectories and improved durability through the use of soft materials for both joints and links, and a numerical method to predict the motion of mechanisms with soft elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional fabrication methods are used to create miniature walking robots, then the robots can achieve functional locomotion, but the fabrication process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple fabrication steps into a single multimaterial 3D printing process. The leg mechanism with soft joints and links is fabricated as one integrated component using MM3P, eliminating the need for separate assembly steps and significantly reducing fabrication time and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameters by using soft materials (elastomers, gels, or other compliant materials) for the joints and links instead of traditional rigid materials. This material parameter change enables the leg mechanism to achieve the desired foot trajectories while simplifying the fabrication process through direct 3D printing.
2Reliability
If soft materials are used for joints and links in the leg mechanism, then the robot achieves accurate foot trajectories and improved durability, but the structural rigidity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using soft materials specifically for the joints and links where flexibility is needed, while potentially using different materials for other parts of the robot that require rigidity. This localized material selection optimizes both durability and structural performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by combining soft materials (elastomers, gels) with potentially rigid materials in a single multimaterial 3D printed structure. This composite approach allows the leg mechanism to have both the flexibility needed for accurate trajectories and the structural integrity required for durability.
3Productivity
If multimaterial 3D printing is used to fabricate the robot, then the fabrication process becomes faster and easier, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by designing the leg mechanism geometry and material distribution in advance using computational methods. The foot trajectories are predicted numerically before fabrication, allowing the design to be optimized for the specific multimaterial 3D printing process, thereby ensuring the required precision is achieved.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is multimaterial 3D printing (MM3P) to fabricate centimeter-scale robots by utilizing soft materials to create soft joints to replace revolute joints and also soft links to replace rigid links. A three-spring rotational-prismatic rotational (RPR) model is developed to approximate the motion of soft joints or links, which is further utilized to numerically predict the motion of the leg mechanism with multiple soft joints and links. The accuracy of the proposed numerical method is validated with experimental results. A functional walking robot actuated by a single DC motor is demonstrated.