Robot locomotion
However, other forms of locomotion may be more appropriate for a number of reasons, for example traversing rough terrain, as well as moving and interacting in human environments.
Rovio, Seropi, Shakey the robot, Sony Rolly, Spykee, TiLR, Topo, TR Araña, and Wakamaru.
Several robots, built in the 1980s by Marc Raibert at the MIT Leg Laboratory, successfully demonstrated very dynamic walking.
Mimicking the way real snakes move, these robots can navigate very confined spaces, meaning they may one day be used to search for people trapped in collapsed buildings.
The two types of brachiation can be compared to bipedal walking motions (continuous contact) or running (ricochetal).
Continuous contact is when a hand/grasping mechanism is always attached to the surface being crossed; ricochetal employs a phase of aerial "flight" from one surface/limb to the next.
The desire to create robots with dynamic locomotive abilities has driven scientists to look to nature for solutions.
Highly intelligent robots are needed in several areas such as search and rescue missions, battlefields, and landscape investigation.
Thus robots of this nature need to be small, light, quick, and possess the ability to move in multiple locomotive modes.
In addition, Pteromyini are able to exhibit multi-modal locomotion due to the membrane that connects the fore and hind legs which also enhances their gliding ability.
[13] It has been proven that a flexible membrane possesses a higher lift coefficient than rigid plates and delays the angle of attack at which stall occurs.
[13] The flying squirrel also possesses thick bundles on the edges of its membrane, wingtips and tail which helps to minimize fluctuations and unnecessary energy loss.
For one, the plagiopatagium, which serves as the primary generator of lift for the flying squirrel, is able to effectively function due to its thin and flexible muscles.
[15] These thick muscle structures serve to guard against unnecessary fluttering due to strong wind pressures during gliding hence minimizing energy loss.
[13] This allows the animal to create rolling, pitching, and yawing movements which in turn control the speed and direction of the gliding.
Several studies have demonstrated that the morphology of the bat enables it to easily and effectively alternate between both locomotive modes.
[20] The anatomy that aids in this is essentially built around the largest muscle in the body of the bat, pectoralis profundus (posterior division).
[20] A detailed study of the morphology of the shoulder of the bat shows that the bones of the arm are slightly sturdier and the ulna and the radius have been fused so as to accommodate heavy reaction forces from the ground[20] Schistocerca gregaria (desert locust) The desert locust is known for its ability to jump and fly over long distances as well as crawl on land.
[25] In order for a perfect jump to occur, the locust must push its legs on the ground with a strong enough force so as to initiate a fast takeoff.
[22] Modeling of a multi-modal walking and gliding robot after Pteromyini (flying squirrels) Following the discovery of the requisite model to mimic, researchers sought to design a legged robot that was capable of achieving effective motion in aerial and terrestrial environments by the use of a flexible membrane.
[13] Furthermore, the amount of drag on the wing of the robot was reduced by the use of retractable wingtips thereby allowing for improved gliding abilities.
The robot functioned effectively, walking in several gait patterns and crawling with its high DoF legs.
The anatomy of the arm of the vampire bat plays a key role in the design of the leg of the robot.
In order to minimize the number of Degrees of Freedom (DoFs), the two components of the arm are mirrored over the xz plane.
[20] These results are quite impressive[editorializing] as it is expected that the reverse be the case since the weight of the wings should have impacted the jumping.
