The robotics research team at Stanford University is using 3D printing technology to create a miniature claw-clamp system for the climbing robot RoboSimian, which allows RoboSimian to climb the wall like Spider-Man.
In an example of a science that mimics nature (such as climbing a gecko), the team is developing a system that includes a series of very small spins to help their wall-climbing robots grasp various surfaces to achieve the desired surface. Traction.
Researchers have been working on rock climbing robots for more than a decade, and their rock climbing robots can support four times the weight of previously thought-out climbing robots on fully vertical rock faces.
The complex micro-spin acts like a small paw, clinging to any compatible surface. In this case, the number of advantages exceeds the size. According to the IEEE Spectrum report, "They grab and keep on a rough surface, although each spin is very small and can't hold too much. If you use enough spins, you can support a lot of weight (or resist a lot). power).
3D printing does not help from the perspective of the spin itself, but is used to produce each 15 mm steel spins that fit snugly to form a sleeve (together with the spring structure to push the spin to the surface being attempted to climb). The role of 3D printing technology in this is still unclear, but since the robot can grab at least 55KG, I think it should be a more impact and stress resistant nylon or polycarbonate material (not us Familiar materials such as PLA or ABS).
The 4x efficiency mentioned above is achieved by using a single compatible shaft. Each 18mm x 18mm 3D printed tile contains 60 spins, and the 12 tiles form a huge climbing force side by side, while still swinging between the parts. The space thus enhances the ability to bond to any surface.
And since all the spin angles are closely combined and oriented in the same direction, the adhesion is released by pulling outward in opposite angles and directions (unlike other grip methods, such as Velcro, where the grip depends on It looks like a messy claw.) In fact, adhesion up to 710 N can be achieved consistently during the test.
Despite these theoretical foundations, at this stage, the 3D printed miniature air gripper fixtures appear to be incapable of encountering extremely smooth or rough surfaces.
Looking ahead, the team is working with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) to see if it is possible to incorporate this technology into future space missions. This is not the first time we've seen fixture-based 3D printing, and the researchers at the University of California, San Diego, earlier this year, came up with a 3D printed claw inspired by sea urchins.
(Compiled from 3Ders.org)
(Editor)
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