Development of Novel Leg Mechanism for Biped Robot using Wire-Constraints

• Project/Area Number: 16H06682
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Intelligent robotics
• Research Institution: The University of Tokyo
• Principal Investigator: Shirafuji Shouhei 東京大学, 人工物工学研究センター, 特任研究員 (80779330)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-08-26 – 2018-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2017)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,990,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥690,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,560,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥360,000)
• Keywords: 歩行ロボット / 脚機構 / ワイヤ拘束機構 / ロック機構 / 非円形プーリ / 平ベルト / ワイヤ拘束 / 知能ロボティクス / 機械力学・制御 / ロボット脚 / 知能ロボティックス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The objective of this research was the development the leg mechanism to realize the efficient biped walk of a robot by constraining several joint pairs using wires to follow the target trajectory and supporting the weight of robot mechanically. We proposed the design methodology of the route of wires to realize the target coordinated motion of pairs of joints by the mechanical constraints of wires. Furthermore, we determined the paths of wires to achieve the robotic leg mentioned above using the proposed method and developed the new locking mechanism to switch the wire-constrains according to the phase of walking.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Novel frictional-locking-mechanism for a flat belt: Theory, mechanism, and validation (2017)
  • Author(s): Shirafuji Shouhei、Matsui Naotaka、Ota Jun
  • Journal Title: Mechanism and Machine Theory Volume: 116 Pages: 371-382
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.mechmachtheory.2017.06.012
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Designing Noncircular Pulleys to Realize Target Motion Between Two Joints (2017)
  • Author(s): Shouhei Shirafuji, Shuhei Ikemoto, and Koh Hosoda
  • Journal Title: IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics Volume: Volume 22, Issue 1 Issue: 1 Pages: 487-497
  • DOI: 10.1109/tmech.2016.2614961
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] 非円形プーリとワイヤを用いたロボット脚機構の設計 (2017)
  • Author(s): 白藤 翔平、太田 順
  • Organizer: ロボティクス・メカトロニクス講演会
• [Presentation] 摩擦を利用した平ベルトロック機構の開発 (2017)
  • Author(s): 白藤 翔平、松井 尚孝、太田 順
  • Organizer: ロボティクス・メカトロニクス講演会
• [Presentation] Locking mechanism based on flat, overlapping belt, and ultrasonic vibration (2016)
  • Author(s): Naotaka Matsui, Shouhei Shirafuji, Jun Ota
  • Organizer: IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Biomimetics
  • Place of Presentation: Qingdao, China
  • Year and Date: 2016-12-03
  • Int'l Joint Research