RIS ID
31895
Abstract
This paper presents the conceptual design and testing of a bio-inspired locomotion system activated through ionic-type conducting polymer actuators, which can operate both in dry and wet environments. The locomotion system is proposed for a mini autonomous crawling device for applications typified by pipe inspection, search, inspection and data gathering in confined spaces, which require mini-robotic systems. The locomotion system is based on the cilia, which has a simple planar bending motion. This type of motion can be provided by bending-type polymer actuators (one-end fixed and the other-end free cantilever beam). The actuators mounted on a printed circuit board and powered according to a gait design similar to the motion of biological cilia create the legged locomotion system. As the actuators require a low electric power and have a small foot-print (no sophisticated electronics and any transmission mechanisms), they are especially suitable to establish wireless autonomous mini-robotic systems. The design methodology presented in this paper is offered as a guide to establish functional devices based on bio-inspiration and conducting polymer actuators. The successful testing of the propulsion concept in the prototype demonstrates that conducting polymer actuators, when engineered properly, can be used to build functional devices.
Publication Details
Alici, G. and Gunderson, D. (2009). A bio-inspired robotic locomotion system based on conducting polymer actuators. 2009 IEEE/ASME International Conference on Advanced Intelligent Mechatronics (pp. 998-1004). Singapore: IEEE.