Tech Briefs Magazine - December 2021 - MD-16

lic doors are self-closing, which means if
the robot loses its grip, it must start over.
When a door opens away from the robot,
it can simply turn the door handle and
push forward to enter a room. But when
a door opens toward the robot, the task
becomes far more difficult, especially if
the door has built-in resistance for the
purpose of closing on its own.
Some engineers have mounted an
arm with multiple joints on robots to
grasp a knob or door handle but these
can be extremely expensive. A single
robot arm with six joints, or degrees of
freedom, that mimics the full range of
motion of a human arm can cost tens of
thousands of dollars.
The problem was solved by designing
an appendage on a simple motorized lift
the robot can raise and lower to reach
a door handle. A small arm at the base
holds the door open while the robot
pivots around it and carries on with its
duties in the next room. Since the team
is using machine learning, the robot
has to " teach " itself how to open a door,
essentially through trial and error. This
can be time-consuming initially but the
robot corrects its mistakes as it goes.
Simulations help the robot prepare for
the actual task.
Service robots have become more
useful, particularly during the COVID19
pandemic when tedious tasks such as
disinfecting rooms with mists or ultraviolet
light could be automated. Similarly,
a robot that can recharge using the
The autonomous robot demonstrates how it pivots around a door. (Photo/Ravenna Rutledge/UC Creative +
Brand)
nearest convenient electric wall outlet
would be extremely helpful. The
current solution is to install a docking
station. When the robot runs low on
power, it returns to its docking station.
However, it loses time returning to the
dock and there cannot be a dock in
every room.
The new robot will be able to identify
a wall outlet and insert the plug without
human help, which is a combination
of challenges. An electric socket is
very small, so the robot must identify it
first. Humans have the dexterity to find
the socket and plug it in quickly. But
asking a robot to do that is not as easy;
if the robot doesn't align perfectly, it
will fail. The researchers' algorithm,
however, gives the robot more flexibility
to " feel " around for the plug when
it gets close.
For more information, contact Michael
Miller at michael.miller3@uc.edu; 513-5566757.
Four-Legged
Swarm Robots
The multi-legged robots are capable of maneuvering in challenging environments.
University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana
T
he collective behaviors of ants, honeybees,
and birds to solve problems
and overcome obstacles is something
researchers have developed in aerial
and underwater robotics. Developing
small-scale swarm robots with the capability
to traverse complex terrain,
however, comes with a unique set of
challenges. Researchers have built
multi-legged robots capable of maneuvering
in challenging environments
and accomplishing difficult tasks collectively,
mimicking their natural-world
counterparts.
16
Legged robots can navigate challenging
environments, such as rough
terrain and tight spaces, and the use
of limbs offers effective body support,
enables rapid maneuverability, and
facilitates obstacle crossing. However,
legged robots face unique mobility
challenges in terrestrial environments,
which results in reduced locomotor
performance.
The researchers hypothesized that a
physical connection between individual
robots could enhance the mobility of
a terrestrial legged collective system.
Individual robots performed simple
or small tasks such as moving over
a smooth surface or carrying a light
object but if the task was beyond the
capability of the single unit, the robots
physically connected to each other to
form a larger multi-legged system and
collectively overcome issues.
Using a 3D printer, the team built
four-legged robots measuring roughly
6 to 8 inches
in length. Each was
equipped with a lithium polymer battery,
microcontroller, and three sensors
- a light sensor at the front and two
Motion Design, December 2021
MD Tech Briefs 1221_1.indd 16
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Tech Briefs Magazine - December 2021

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