Development of a full-body force sensing system for improving collision safety of multi-legged robots

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K14692
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 20020:Robotics and intelligent system-related
• Research Institution: University of Fukui (2023); Nagaoka University of Technology (2020-2022)
• Principal Investigator: Umemoto Kazuki 福井大学, 学術研究院工学系部門, 准教授 (10734428)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 多脚ロボット / 直列弾性アクチュエータ / 力覚推定

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research project, a multi-legged robot using a series elastic actuator (SEA) was developed. Urethane rubber was used as the elastic body of the SEA. A whole-body force estimation system was configured and applied to the developed multi-legged robot for estimation experiments. The SEA using urethane rubber has the advantage of being smaller than the previously developed SEA using torsion springs. From the estimation experiments conducted by applying the estimation method to the developed robot system, it was confirmed that the estimation was possible with high accuracy under high load.

Free Research Field

ロボティクス

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

開発した全身力覚推定システムを用いると、力覚センサレスでロボットが受ける力を推定することができる。また、力覚センサを用いないことで、故障リスクを軽減し、コストを削減することができる。それにより、ロボットが社会により広く普及することを後押しする。