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Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications
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Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications

A special issue of Machines (ISSN 2075-1702). This special issue belongs to the section "Bioengineering Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 43814

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yanjie Wang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou campus, Changzhou 213022, China
Interests: advanced bionics systems and robotics; smart materials and structures; polymer-based sensors and actuators
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Xiaofeng Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Internet of Things (IoT) Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou campus, Changzhou 213022, China
Interests: natural navigation; human–computer interaction; multimedia monitoring and observation of behavioral ecology
Prof. Dr. Aihong Ji

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Mechanical & Electrical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
Interests: intelligent robots; motion bionics and mechanics; mechatronics tech
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Shichao Niu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
Interests: bionic soft robots; bionic mechanical sensors; bionic anti-fog and anti-reflection functional surfaces and materials
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Bo Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China
Interests: dielectric elastomer actuators and artificial muscle; active multi-stable mechanisms and compliant robots; camouflage discoloration technology based on bionic photonic crystals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the long-term evolution of nature, each creature has its unique structure and function, which can adjust to unstructured environments with diversity. These structures, mechanisms, and potential principles from biology will definitely excite new ideas for improving and optimizing conventional machine designs and control. By imitating certain characteristics of these creatures, such as grasp, twist, locomotion, or flying, etc., bio-inspired smart machines can engage in certain difficult tasks instead of human beings, such as medical surgery, rapid manufacture and assembly, disaster search and rescue, and scientific investigation. Therefore, bio-inspired smart machines have important research significance and broad developmental prospects.

Generally, bio-inspired smart machines can be divided into two categories: rigid machines and soft machines. Rigid machines are composed of different rigid components assembled together, and the joints are mainly driven by electric motors or hydraulic means. In soft machines, the rigid hinges and bolts together with the body structure are replaced by soft components usually made from stimulus-responsive materials that change shape in response to stimuli.

This Special Issue will be devoted to state-of-the-art research on bio-inspired smart machines and their subsystems and components, such as bio-inspired rigid machines, soft machines and robotics, active materials, controls, sensors and actuators, structure and modeling, etc. We seek submissions with original perspectives and advanced thinking on the theme addressed. Related research on theories, simulations, experiments, and engineering applications is also welcome.

Prof. Dr. Yanjie Wang
Prof. Dr. Xiaofeng Liu
Prof. Dr. Aihong Ji
Prof. Dr. Shichao Niu
Dr. Bo Li
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Machines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bio-inspired theories and principles of biological mechanisms
  • bio-inspired motions and functions
  • bio-inspired active materials and structures
  • bio-inspired sensors or actuators
  • bio-inspired rigid machines and robots
  • bio-inspired soft machines and robotics
  • bio-inspired design and modeling
  • bio-inspired learning and control
  • bio-inspired human–robot interactions
  • bio-inspired machine applications

Published Papers (19 papers)

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Editorial

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5 pages, 185 KiB  
Editorial
Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications
by Yanjie Wang, Dong Mei, Xiaofeng Liu, Aihong Ji, Shichao Niu and Bo Li
Machines 2023, 11(3), 405; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines11030405 - 20 Mar 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1028
Abstract
With the long-term evolution of nature, each creature has its unique structure and function, which can adjust to unstructured environments with diversity [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

22 pages, 7200 KiB  
Article
LQR Trajectory Tracking Control of Unmanned Wheeled Tractor Based on Improved Quantum Genetic Algorithm
by Xin Fan, Junyan Wang, Haifeng Wang, Lin Yang and Changgao Xia
Machines 2023, 11(1), 62; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines11010062 - 04 Jan 2023
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 2880
Abstract
In the process of trajectory tracking using the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) for driverless wheeled tractors, a weighting matrix optimization method based on an improved quantum genetic algorithm (IQGA) is proposed to solve the problem of weight selection. Firstly, the kinematic model of [...] Read more.
In the process of trajectory tracking using the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) for driverless wheeled tractors, a weighting matrix optimization method based on an improved quantum genetic algorithm (IQGA) is proposed to solve the problem of weight selection. Firstly, the kinematic model of the wheeled tractor is established according to the Ackermann steering model, and the established model is linearized and discretized. Then, the quantum gate rotation angle adaptive strategy is optimized to adjust the rotation angle required for individual evolution to ensure a timely jumping out of the local optimum. Secondly, the populations were perturbed by the chaotic perturbation strategy and Hadamard gate variation according to their dispersion degree in order to increase their diversity and search accuracy, respectively. Thirdly, the state weighting matrix Q and the control weighting matrix R in LQR were optimized using IQGA to obtain control increments for the trajectory tracking control of the driverless wheeled tractor with circular and double-shifted orbits. Finally, the tracking simulation of circular and double-shifted orbits based on the combination of Carsim and Matlab was carried out to compare the performance of LQR optimized by five algorithms, including traditional LQR, genetic algorithm (GA), particle swarm algorithm (PSO), quantum genetic algorithm (QGA), and IQGA. The simulation results show that the proposed IQGA speeds up the algorithm’s convergence, increases the population’s diversity, improves the global search ability, preserves the excellent information of the population, and has substantial advantages over other algorithms in terms of performance. When the tractor tracked the circular trajectory at 5 m/s, the root mean square error (RMSE) of four parameters, including speed, lateral displacement, longitudinal displacement, and heading angle, was reduced by about 30%, 1%, 55%, and 3%, respectively. When the tractor tracked the double-shifted trajectory at 5 m/s, the RMSE of the four parameters, such as speed, lateral displacement error, longitudinal displacement error, and heading angle, was reduced by about 32%, 25%, 37%, and 1%, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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16 pages, 9229 KiB  
Article
A Single-Joint Worm-like Robot Inspired by Geomagnetic Navigation
by Dong Mei, Xin Zhao, Gangqiang Tang, Jianfeng Wang, Chun Zhao, Chunxu Li and Yanjie Wang
Machines 2022, 10(11), 1040; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10111040 - 07 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1266
Abstract
Inspired by identifying directions through the geomagnetic field for migrating birds, in this work, we proposed and fabricated a single-joint worm-like robot with a centimeter scale, the motion of which could be easily guided by a magnet. The robot consists of a pneumatic [...] Read more.
Inspired by identifying directions through the geomagnetic field for migrating birds, in this work, we proposed and fabricated a single-joint worm-like robot with a centimeter scale, the motion of which could be easily guided by a magnet. The robot consists of a pneumatic deformable bellow and a permanent magnet fixed in the bellow’s head that will generate magnetic force and friction. Firstly, in order to clarify the actuating mechanism, we derived the relationship between the elongation of the bellows and the air pressure through the Yeoh constitutive model, which was utilized to optimize the structural parameters of the bellow. Then the casting method is introduced to fabricate the silicone bellow with a size of 20 mm in diameter and 28 mm in length. The manufacturing error of the bellow was evaluated by 3D laser scanning technology. Thereafter, the robot’s moving posture was analyzed by considering the force and corresponding motion state, and the analysis model was established by mechanics theory. The experimental results show that the worm-like robot’s maximum speed can reach 9.6 mm/s on the cardboard. Meanwhile, it exhibits excellent environmental adaptability that can move in pipelines with a diameter of 21 mm, 32 mm, 40 mm, and 50 mm, and surfaces with different roughness. Moreover, the robot’s motion was successfully guided under the presence of the magnetic field, which shows great potential for pipeline detection applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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20 pages, 6096 KiB  
Article
Design and Implementation of a Wire Rope Climbing Robot for Sluices
by Guisheng Fang and Jinfeng Cheng
Machines 2022, 10(11), 1000; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10111000 - 31 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3791
Abstract
Regular maintenance of wire rope is considered the key to ensuring the safe operation of a sluice gate. Along these lines, in this work, a six-wheeled wire rope climbing robot was proposed, which can carry cleaning and maintenance tools for online cleaning and [...] Read more.
Regular maintenance of wire rope is considered the key to ensuring the safe operation of a sluice gate. Along these lines, in this work, a six-wheeled wire rope climbing robot was proposed, which can carry cleaning and maintenance tools for online cleaning and safety inspection of the sluice wire rope, without its disassembly. The developed climbing robot is composed of separable driving and driven trolleys. It adopts the spring clamping mechanism and the wheeled movement method. Thus, it can easily adapt to the narrow working environment and different diameter ranges of the sluice wire rope. In addition, the designed six-wheeled wire rope climbing robot not only possesses a simple structure, simple control, and stable climbing speed, which are typical characteristics of wheeled climbing robots, but also a large contact area with objects and small wheel deformation, which are typical characteristics of crawler climbing robots. Structural design and mechanical analysis were also carried out, with the fabrication of a prototype robot system called WRR-II. From the acquired experimental results of the prototype’s climbing speed test, load capacity test, climbing adaptability test, and obstacle-negotiation ability test, the rationality and feasibility of the designed climbing robot scheme were verified. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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11 pages, 5384 KiB  
Article
Bio-Inspired Artificial Receptor with Integrated Tactile Sensing and Pain Warning Perceptual Abilities
by Xin Zhao, Gangqiang Tang, Chun Zhao, Dong Mei, Yujun Ji, Chaoqun Xiang, Lijie Li, Bo Li and Yanjie Wang
Machines 2022, 10(11), 968; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10110968 - 23 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1612
Abstract
Inspired by the mechanism of touch and pain in human skin, we integrated two ion-sensing films and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer together to achieve a bionic artificial receptor with the capacity of distinguishing touch or pain perception through ion-electrical effect. The ion-sensing film [...] Read more.
Inspired by the mechanism of touch and pain in human skin, we integrated two ion-sensing films and a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer together to achieve a bionic artificial receptor with the capacity of distinguishing touch or pain perception through ion-electrical effect. The ion-sensing film provides the carrier of touch or pain perception, while the PDMS layer as a soft substrate is used to regulate the perception ability of receptor. Through a series of experiments, we investigated the effects of physical properties of the PDMS layer on the sensing ability of an artificial receptor. Further, contact area tests were performed in order to distinguish touch or pain under a sharp object. It is revealed that the pressure threshold triggering the touch and pain feedback of the artificial receptor presented an increasing trend when the elastic modulus and thickness of the PDMS substrate increase. The distinction ability of touch and pain becomes more pronounced under higher elastic modulus and larger thickness. Furthermore, the induced pain feedback becomes more intense with the decrease of the loading area under the same load, and the threshold of pain drops down from 176.68 kPa to 54.57 kPa with the decrease of the radius from 3 mm to 1 mm. This work potentially provides a new strategy for developing electronic skin with tactile sensing and pain warning. The pressure threshold and sensing range can be regulated by changing the physical properties of the middle layer, which would be advantageous to robotics and healthcare fields. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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18 pages, 10346 KiB  
Article
Lattice Structure Design Method Aimed at Energy Absorption Performance Based on Bionic Design
by Gang He, Hu Yang, Tao Chen, Yuan Ning, Huatao Zou and Feng Zhu
Machines 2022, 10(10), 965; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10100965 - 21 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2327
Abstract
To obtain the lattice structure with excellent energy absorption performance, the structure of loofah inner fiber is studied to develop bionic design of lattice structure by experiment and simulation analysis method. From the compression experiment about the four bionic multi-cell lattice structures (bio-45, [...] Read more.
To obtain the lattice structure with excellent energy absorption performance, the structure of loofah inner fiber is studied to develop bionic design of lattice structure by experiment and simulation analysis method. From the compression experiment about the four bionic multi-cell lattice structures (bio-45, bio-60, bio-75, and bio-90) and VC lattice structures, we found that all are made of PLA and fabricated by the fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printer. The comprehensive performance of bio-90 lattice structure is the best in the performance of the specific volume energy absorption (SEAv), the effective energy absorption (EA), and the specific energy absorption (SEA). Based on the experimental result, the energy absorption performance of bio-90 lattice structure is then studied by the simulation analysis of influence on multiple parameters, such as the number of cells, the relative density, the impact velocity, and the material. The results can provide a reference for the design of highly efficient energy absorption structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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22 pages, 6058 KiB  
Article
Skill Acquisition and Controller Design of Desktop Robot Manipulator Based on Audio–Visual Information Fusion
by Chunxu Li, Xiaoyu Chen, Xinglu Ma, Hao Sun and Bin Wang
Machines 2022, 10(9), 772; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10090772 - 06 Sep 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1753
Abstract
The development of AI and robotics has led to an explosion of research and the number of implementations in automated systems. However, whilst commonplace in manufacturing, these approaches have not impacted chemistry due to difficulty in developing robot systems that are dexterous enough [...] Read more.
The development of AI and robotics has led to an explosion of research and the number of implementations in automated systems. However, whilst commonplace in manufacturing, these approaches have not impacted chemistry due to difficulty in developing robot systems that are dexterous enough for experimental operation. In this paper, a control system for desktop experimental manipulators based on an audio-visual information fusion algorithm was designed. The robot could replace the operator to complete some tedious and dangerous experimental work by teaching it the arm movement skills. The system is divided into two parts: skill acquisition and movement control. For the former, the visual signal was obtained through two algorithms of motion detection, which were realized by an improved two-stream convolutional network; the audio signal was extracted by Voice AI with regular expressions. Then, we combined the audio and visual information to obtain high coincidence motor skills. The accuracy of skill acquisition can reach more than 81%. The latter employed motor control and grasping pose recognition, which achieved precise controlling and grasping. The system can be used for the teaching and control work of chemical experiments with specific processes. It can replace the operator to complete the chemical experiment work while greatly reducing the programming threshold and improving the efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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20 pages, 6549 KiB  
Article
DP-Climb: A Hybrid Adhesion Climbing Robot Design and Analysis for Internal Transition
by Qingfang Zhang, Xueshan Gao, Mingkang Li, Yi Wei and Peng Liang
Machines 2022, 10(8), 678; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10080678 - 10 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1699
Abstract
This paper proposes a double propeller wall-climbing robot (DP-Climb) with a hybrid adhesion system based on the biomimetic design principle to address the problems of single adhesion-powered wall climbing robots (WCRs). Such problems include poor maneuverability and adaptability to orthogonal working surfaces with [...] Read more.
This paper proposes a double propeller wall-climbing robot (DP-Climb) with a hybrid adhesion system based on the biomimetic design principle to address the problems of single adhesion-powered wall climbing robots (WCRs). Such problems include poor maneuverability and adaptability to orthogonal working surfaces with different roughness and flatness, weak flexibility of ground-wall transition motion, and easy stand stilling of transition,. Based on the clinging characteristics of different creatures, the hybrid system combines the rotor units’ reverse thrust, the drive wheels’ driving torque, and the adhesion force offered by the coating material to power the robot through a coupled control strategy. Based on the Newton–Euler equations, the robot’s kinematic characteristics during the ground-wall internal transition motion were analyzed, the safe adhesion conditions were obtained, and a dynamics model of the robot’s ground-wall transition was established. This provided the basis for the coupling control between different power units. Finally, an internal transition PID control strategy based on DP-Climb was proposed. Through mechanical and aerodynamic characteristic experiments, it is verified that the robot’s actual output pulling force can meet the transition motion demand. The experimental results show that the proposed strategy can enable the DP-Climb to complete the ground-wall mutual transition motion smoothly with a speed of 0.12 m/s. The robot’s maximum wall motion speed can reach 0.45 m/s, which verifies that the hybrid adhesion system can flexibly and quickly reach the specified position in a target area flexibly and quickly. The robustness and adaptability of WCR to complex application environments are improved. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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18 pages, 4356 KiB  
Article
Perching and Grasping Mechanism Inspired by a Bird’s Claw
by Yongqiang Zhu, Xiumin He, Pingxia Zhang, Gaozhi Guo and Xiwan Zhang
Machines 2022, 10(8), 656; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10080656 - 05 Aug 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5173
Abstract
In nature, birds can freely observe and rest on the surface of objects such as tree branches, mainly due to their flexible claws, thus this paper is inspired by bird perching and shows two imitation bird claw perching grasping mechanisms in the shape [...] Read more.
In nature, birds can freely observe and rest on the surface of objects such as tree branches, mainly due to their flexible claws, thus this paper is inspired by bird perching and shows two imitation bird claw perching grasping mechanisms in the shape of “three in front and one at the back”. One is articulated, the other is resilient, the difference being that the former has a pin-articulated claw structure and uses a double fishing line to perform the grasping and resetting action, while the latter uses a resilient linking piece, a single fishing line and resilient linking piece to perform the grasping and resetting action. To verify the grasping effect, experiments were designed to grasp objects of different shapes and maximum grasping weight load. The results show that the two types of perching grasping mechanism can reach a large degree of toe bending, have good passive bending deformation ability, can grasp different types of objects, including the articulated type has a stronger deformation ability, and can grasp branches with a diameter in the range of 12.5–55.8 mm. The elastic reset type is smoother than the articulated type toe bending curve, and the maximum graspable object weight is about three times the overall weight of the grasping mechanism. The maximum gripping weight is about three times the overall weight of the gripping mechanism and the load capacity is about two times that of the articulated type. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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18 pages, 4886 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Unpowered Soft Exoskeletons on Preferred Gait Features and Resonant Walking
by Zhengyan Zhang, Houcheng Wang, Shijie Guo, Jing Wang, Yungang Zhao and Qiang Tian
Machines 2022, 10(7), 585; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10070585 - 18 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1425
Abstract
Resonant walking with preferred gait features is a self-optimized consequence of long-term human locomotion. Minimal energy expenditure can be achieved in this resonant condition. This unpowered multi-joint soft exoskeleton is designed to test whether: (1) there is an obvious improvement in preferred speed [...] Read more.
Resonant walking with preferred gait features is a self-optimized consequence of long-term human locomotion. Minimal energy expenditure can be achieved in this resonant condition. This unpowered multi-joint soft exoskeleton is designed to test whether: (1) there is an obvious improvement in preferred speed and other gait features; (2) resonant walking still exists with exoskeleton assistance. Healthy participants (N = 7) were asked to perform the following trials: (1) walking at 1.25 m/s without assistance (normal condition); (2) walking at 1.25 m/s with assistance (general condition); (3) walking at preferred speed with assistance (preferred condition); (4) walking at the speed in trial (3) without assistance (comparison condition). Participants walked at the preferred frequency and ±10% of it. An average 21% increase in preferred speed was observed. The U-shaped oxygen consumption and lower limb muscle activity curve with the minimum at preferred frequency indicated that the resonant condition existed under the preferred condition. Average metabolic reductions of 4.53% and 7.65% were found in the preferred condition compared to the general and comparison condition, respectively. These results demonstrate that the resonant condition in assisted walking could benefit energy expenditure and provide a new perspective for exoskeleton design and evaluation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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17 pages, 10840 KiB  
Article
Stiffness-Tuneable Segment for Continuum Soft Robots with Vertebrae
by Zhipeng Liu, Linsen Xu, Xingcan Liang and Jinfu Liu
Machines 2022, 10(7), 581; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10070581 - 18 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2009
Abstract
In addition to high compliance to unstructured environments, soft robots can be further improved to gain the advantages of rigid robots by increasing stiffness. Indeed, realizing the adjustable stiffness of soft continuum robots can provide safer interactions with objects and greatly expand their [...] Read more.
In addition to high compliance to unstructured environments, soft robots can be further improved to gain the advantages of rigid robots by increasing stiffness. Indeed, realizing the adjustable stiffness of soft continuum robots can provide safer interactions with objects and greatly expand their application range. To address the above situation, we propose a tubular stiffening segment based on layer jamming. It can temporarily increase the stiffness of the soft robot in a desired configuration. Furthermore, we also present a spine-inspired soft robot that can provide support in tubular segments to prevent buckling. Theoretical analysis was conducted to predict the stiffness variation of the robot at different vacuum levels. Finally, we integrated the spine-inspired soft robot and tubular stiffening segment to obtain the tuneable-stiffness soft continuum robot (TSCR). Experimental tests were performed to evaluate the robot’s shape control and stiffness tuning effectiveness. Experimental results showed that the bending stiffness of the initial TSCR increased by more than 15× at 0°, 30× at 90°, and 60× in compressive stiffness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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18 pages, 4980 KiB  
Article
The Feature Extraction of Impact Response and Load Reconstruction Based on Impulse Response Theory
by Dawei Huang, Yadong Gao, Xinyu Yu and Likun Chen
Machines 2022, 10(7), 524; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10070524 - 28 Jun 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1277
Abstract
Impact load is a kind of aperiodic excitation with a short action time and large amplitude, it had more significant effect on the structure than static load. The reconstruction (or identification namely) of impact load is of great importance for validating the structural [...] Read more.
Impact load is a kind of aperiodic excitation with a short action time and large amplitude, it had more significant effect on the structure than static load. The reconstruction (or identification namely) of impact load is of great importance for validating the structural strength. The aim of this article was to reconstruct the impact load accurately. An impact load identification method based on impulse response theory (IRT) and BP (Back Propagation) neural network is proposed. The excitation and response signals were transformed to the same length by extracting the peak value (amplitude of sine wave) in the rising oscillation period of the response. First, we deduced that there was an approximate linear relationship between the discrete-time integral of impact load and the amplitude of the oscillation period of the response. Secondly, a BP neural network was used to establish a linear relationship between the discrete-time integral of the impact load and the peak value in the rising oscillation period of the response. Thirdly, the network was trained and verified. The error between the actual maximum amplitude of impact load and the identification value was 2.22%. The error between the actual equivalent impulse and the identification value was 0.67%. The results showed that this method had high accuracy and application potential. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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19 pages, 9716 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Deformation Analysis of a Flexible Finger in Terms of an Improved ANCF Plate Element
by Yu Xing, Lei Liu, Chao Liu, Bo Li, Zishen Wang, Pengfei Li and Erhu Zhang
Machines 2022, 10(7), 518; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10070518 - 27 Jun 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1372
Abstract
In recent years, flexible continuum robots have been substantially developed. Absolute nodal coordinates formulation (ANCF) gives a feasible path for simulating the behavior of flexible robots. However, the model of finger-shaped robots is often regarded as a cylinder and characterized by a beam [...] Read more.
In recent years, flexible continuum robots have been substantially developed. Absolute nodal coordinates formulation (ANCF) gives a feasible path for simulating the behavior of flexible robots. However, the model of finger-shaped robots is often regarded as a cylinder and characterized by a beam element. Obviously, this is short of characterizing the geometrical feature of fingers in detail, especially under bending conditions. Additionally, for the lower-order plate element, it is hard to characterize the bending behavior of the flexible finger due to fewer nodes; a higher-order plate element often requires an extremely long computing time. In this work, an improved ANCF lower-order plate element is used to increase the accuracy of the Yeoh model and characterize the geometrical structure of silicone rubber fingers, taking into particular consideration the effect of volume locks and multi-body system constraints. Since it is a kind of lower-order plate element, essentially, the computing time is nearly the same as that of conventional lower-order plate elements. The validity of this model was verified by comparing it with the results of the published reference. The flexible finger, manufactured using silicone rubber, is characterized by the novel ANCF lower-order plate element, whereby its mechanical deformation and bending behavior are simulated both efficiently and accurately. Compared to the ANCF beam element, conventional lower-order plate element, and higher-order plate element, the novel plate element in this paper characterizes the external contour of the finger better, reflects bending behavior more realistically, and converges in less computing time. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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15 pages, 4165 KiB  
Article
Reducing Helicopter Vibration Loads by Individual Blade Control with Genetic Algorithm
by Renguo Yang, Yadong Gao, Huaming Wang and Xianping Ni
Machines 2022, 10(6), 479; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10060479 - 15 Jun 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2037
Abstract
A rotor that can realize individual blade pitch control was designed. This paper focuses on finding the trend of helicopter vibration loads after applying multiple high-order harmonic control. The Glauert inflow model was introduced to calculate the induced velocity of rotor blades in [...] Read more.
A rotor that can realize individual blade pitch control was designed. This paper focuses on finding the trend of helicopter vibration loads after applying multiple high-order harmonic control. The Glauert inflow model was introduced to calculate the induced velocity of rotor blades in a rotor disk plane, and the Leishman Beddoes (L-B) unsteady dynamic model was employed to calculate the aerodynamic forces of each section of a rotor blade. It was found that the influence of each high-order harmonic control on individual blade vibration load reduction is similar in different advanced ratios. After these calculations, the genetic algorithm was used to calculate the best combination of amplitude and phase of the higher order harmonic under a specific flight state. Under the effect of high harmonic input, the vibration loads of the hub could be reduced by about 65%. These results can be theoretically applied to design control law to reduce helicopter vibration loads. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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17 pages, 14762 KiB  
Article
Design and Modeling of a Bio-Inspired Compound Continuum Robot for Minimally Invasive Surgery
by Gang Zhang, Fuxin Du, Shaowei Xue, Hao Cheng, Xingyao Zhang, Rui Song and Yibin Li
Machines 2022, 10(6), 468; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10060468 - 11 Jun 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3295
Abstract
The continuum robot is a new type of bionic robot which is widely used in the medical field. However, the current structure of the continuum robot limits its application in the field of minimally invasive surgery. In this paper, a bio-inspired compound continuum [...] Read more.
The continuum robot is a new type of bionic robot which is widely used in the medical field. However, the current structure of the continuum robot limits its application in the field of minimally invasive surgery. In this paper, a bio-inspired compound continuum robot (CCR) combining the concentric tube continuum robot (CTR) and the notched continuum robot is proposed to design a high-dexterity minimally invasive surgical instrument. Then, a kinematic model, considering the stability of the CTR part, was established. The unstable operation of the CCR is avoided. The simulation of the workspace shows that the introduction of the notched continuum robot expands the workspace of CTR. The dexterity indexes of the robots are proposed. The simulation shows that the dexterity of the CCR is 1.472 times that of the CTR. At last, the length distribution of the CCR is optimized based on the dexterity index by using a fruit fly optimization algorithm. The simulations show that the optimized CCR is more dexterous than before. The dexterity of the CCR is increased by 1.069 times. This paper is critical for the development of high-dexterity minimally invasive surgical instruments such as those for the brain, blood vessels, heart and lungs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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16 pages, 5112 KiB  
Article
Obstacle Modeling and Structural Optimization of Four-Track Twin-Rocker Rescue Robot
by Xiaobin Xu, Wen Wang, Guangyu Su, Cong Liu, Wei Cai, Haojie Zhang, Yingying Ran, Zhiying Tan and Minzhou Luo
Machines 2022, 10(5), 365; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10050365 - 10 May 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2386
Abstract
In order to achieve the best obstacle surmounting performance of a mobile robot in the rescue environment, a four-track twin-rocker bionic rescue robot with an inner and outer concentric shaft was designed in this paper. From the viewpoint of dynamics, the motion process [...] Read more.
In order to achieve the best obstacle surmounting performance of a mobile robot in the rescue environment, a four-track twin-rocker bionic rescue robot with an inner and outer concentric shaft was designed in this paper. From the viewpoint of dynamics, the motion process of the mass center of the robot when climbing steps forward and backward was studied. The maximum obstacle height of the robot was calculated. The relationship between the elevation angle of the car body, the swing angle of the rocker arm and the height of the steps was analyzed by simulation. The simulation results show that the maximum forward and reverse obstacle crossing heights were 92.99 mm and 155.82 mm, respectively. Obstacle climbing experiments of the designed robot prototype were carried out. It was found that the measured maximum height of the step was 95 mm, and the measured maximum height of the reverse obstacle was 165 mm. Finally, bionic particle swarm optimization was used to optimize the structural parameters of the rocker arm with an optimal length of 315.2 mm. The study of this paper can be referenced for the design and analysis of obstacle surmounting rescue robots with similar structures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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13 pages, 11760 KiB  
Communication
Application of a Bio-Inspired Algorithm in the Process Parameter Optimization of Laser Cladding
by Yingtao Zhang, Benxiang Gong, Zirong Tang and Weidong Cao
Machines 2022, 10(4), 263; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10040263 - 07 Apr 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1802
Abstract
The process parameter optimization of laser cladding using a bio-inspired algorithm is a hot issue and attracts the attention of many scholars. The biggest difficulty, at present, is the lack of accurate information regarding the function relationship between objectives and process parameters. In [...] Read more.
The process parameter optimization of laser cladding using a bio-inspired algorithm is a hot issue and attracts the attention of many scholars. The biggest difficulty, at present, is the lack of accurate information regarding the function relationship between objectives and process parameters. In this study, a novel process parameter optimization approach for laser cladding is proposed based on a multiobjective slime mould algorithm (MOSMA) and support vector regression (SVR). In particular, SVR is used as a bridge between target and process parameters for solving the problem of lacking accurate information regarding the function relationship. As a new metaheuristic algorithm, MOSMA is to obtain the Pareto solution sets and fronts. The Pareto solution sets are optimized process parameters, and the Pareto fronts are optimized objectives. Users can select the corresponding optimized process parameters according to their needs for the target. The performance of the proposed approach was evaluated by the TOPSIS method, based on actual laser cladding data and compared with several well known approaches. The results indicate that the optimal process parameters obtained by the proposed approach have better process performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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16 pages, 4520 KiB  
Article
Fabrication of Flexible Multi-Cavity Bio-Inspired Adhesive Unit Using Laminated Mold Pouring
by Linghao Zhang, Liuwei Wang, Zhiyuan Weng, Qingsong Yuan, Keju Ji and Zhouyi Wang
Machines 2022, 10(3), 184; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10030184 - 03 Mar 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1892
Abstract
To meet the requirements for the flexible end-effectors of industrial grippers and climbing robots, inspired by the animal attachment mechanism, a bio-inspired adhesive unit (Bio-AU) was designed. Due to its fluid-driven operating characteristics and multi-level adhesive structure, its fabrication and molding is challenging, [...] Read more.
To meet the requirements for the flexible end-effectors of industrial grippers and climbing robots, inspired by the animal attachment mechanism, a bio-inspired adhesive unit (Bio-AU) was designed. Due to its fluid-driven operating characteristics and multi-level adhesive structure, its fabrication and molding is challenging, including the assembly and molding of complex cavities with good pressure-bearing capability, mechanical properties of multi-level materials with variable stiffness, etc. In this study, based on the lamination mold casting process, the “simultaneous molding and assembly” method was established, which can be applied to form and assemble complex cavity parts simultaneously. Moreover, the dovetail tenon-and-mortise parting structures were analyzed and designed. Furthermore, the adhesion between the parting surfaces can be improved using plasma surface treatment technology. By applying the above methods, the assembly accuracy and pressure-bearing capability of the complex flexible cavities are improved, which reduces the individual differences between finished products. Additionally, the maximum pressure-bearing value of the sample was 83 kPa, which is 1.75 times that before optimization. the adhesive structure with different stiffness components was fabricated at low cost using silicon rubber substrates with different properties, which met the requirements of multi-level material with variable stiffness of the Bio-AU. The bending angle of the optimized molding product was about 50.9° at 80 kPa, which is significantly larger than the 24.6° of the lighting-cured product. This indicates that the optimized lamination mold casting process has a strong inclusion of materials, which improves the deformation capacity and self-adaptability of Bio-AUs and overcomes the defects of 3D printing technology in the formation of large, flexible, and controllable-stiffness structures. In this study, the effective fabrication of flexible multilayer adhesive structures was accomplished, and technical support for the development of Bio-AUs was provided, which met the requirements of bionic climbing robots and industrial adhesive grippers for end-effectors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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18 pages, 30461 KiB  
Article
Mechanical Design and Performance Analysis of a Weevil-Inspired Jumping Mechanism
by Zhiwei Yu, Yifan Zeng and Ce Guo
Machines 2022, 10(3), 161; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/machines10030161 - 22 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2526
Abstract
Jumping mechanisms constitute an important means of resolution in applications such as crossing uneven terrain and space exploration. However, the traditional design mainly uses engineering design thinking, but seldom studies the structural characteristics of organisms themselves and lacks biomimetic research basis, which leads [...] Read more.
Jumping mechanisms constitute an important means of resolution in applications such as crossing uneven terrain and space exploration. However, the traditional design mainly uses engineering design thinking, but seldom studies the structural characteristics of organisms themselves and lacks biomimetic research basis, which leads to the difference between jumping mechanism and biological structure and its jumping ability. On the other hand, it lacks in-depth study on biological jumping mechanism from the view of engineering. Weevil has excellent jumping performance, and its key jumper structure is specially designed by biologist. To investigate the motion mechanism and working mechanism of the jumping mechanisms, this paper takes the weevil as the bionic object, and designs a weevil-inspired jumping mechanism. A miniature prototype is designed to reproduce weevil’s jumping mechanism with its working principle and anatomical structure to verify how weevil’s jumping mechanisms work, and turns out to perform well at jumping height. This paper is presented the anatomical structure and working principle of the weevil jumping mechanism, followed by explanation and analysis of its kinematics and dynamics, then performing virtual prototype simulations to compare different design schemes, with results guiding the parameter optimization and subjecting a prototype machine into a height test. In comparisons among existing jumping mechanisms whose jumping method is bio-inspired, the present design, which weighs 44.7 g and can jump to a maximum height of 2 m. The present research establishes a biologically inspired working principle and provides a new practical archetype in biologically inspired studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Smart Machines: Structure, Mechanisms and Applications)
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