Turning motion generation of peristaltic crawling robot using two-dimensional dynamic model and numerical optimization

Abstract

Peristaltic crawling robots inspired by the earthworm's motion have been attracting attention as robots for working in hazardous environments or confined spaces. The peristaltic crawling robots need turning motion to move in winding piping or in spaces with obstacles. In this study, we propose a model-based motion generation method for peristaltic crawling robots to realize a turning motion suitable for the robot’s dynamics and the friction characteristics of the environment. For realizing the motion generation, a two-dimensional dynamic model is constructed by combining the robot’s kinematics and a dynamic friction model, and motion patterns are generated by applying numerical optimization based on the particle optimization method. The contributions of this study are the construction of the model that enables detailed motion analysis on two-dimensional plane and the realization of the model-based method for generating efficient turning motions and turning movements at specified angles for peristaltic crawling robots. As a result of generating the turning motions, it was confirmed that the turning angle was increased by combining the stretching and bending motion. In addition, the validities of the constructed a two-dimensional dynamic model and motion generation method were confirmed from experimental verifications.

Keywords

• mobile robot
• biomimetics
• biorobotics
• peristaltic movement
• numerical optimization