A hydrostatic robot for marine applications

✍ Scribed by Ravi Vaidyanathan; Hillel J Chiel; Roger D Quinn

• Book ID: 104357421
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2000
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 392 KB
• Volume: 30
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0921-8890
• DOI: 10.1016/s0921-8890(99)00067-6

✦ Synopsis

Invertebrates that use a fluid-filled cavity surrounded by contractile tissue (a hydrostatic skeleton) propel themselves efficiently underwater and penetrate regions inaccessible to legged or wheeled devices. A hydrostatic robot would therefore be invaluable for exploring marine environments. We have constructed a three-segment hydrostatic robot that locomotes underwater. Each segment consists of two solid circular disks connected by four equidistant shape memory alloy springs. A fluid-filled bladder in the center of each segment provides hydrostatic skeletal support. The 15.5 cm long robot moves at speeds up to 0.6 cm/s, can turn up to 21 • , and can change its length by up to 16%. A model of the robot's kinematics has also been developed.