Mechanics of Morphological Compensation, and its Application to Sensing and Control of Soft Robots

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21H01287
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 20020:Robotics and intelligent system-related
• Research Institution: Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
• Principal Investigator: HO Anh Van 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 准教授 (60757508)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 渋谷 恒司 龍谷大学, 先端理工学部, 教授 (20287973) ; 高村 禅 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 教授 (20290877) ; 都 英次郎 北陸先端科学技術大学院大学, 先端科学技術研究科, 准教授 (70443231)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 形態変形 / ソフトセンシング / Whiskered sensor / FEMシミュレーション

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research we succeeded in clarification of the underlying physics of morphological compensation, which reveals the correlation between the output of embedded sensors and critical changes in the morphology of the soft body (such as damage or trimming). We built a simulation framework based on SOFA, which allows topological change of the soft bodied robots, and simulating morphological change of the soft body under embedded actuator. From this framework, it is possible to investigate compensation strategies based on the morphological changes of the soft body, or MorphCom, to maintain the performance of the soft robot (sensing, actuation, interaction) during critical changes.

Free Research Field

ソフトロボット

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

The scientific characteristics of this research is to elucidate mechanics of the embedded sensors’ output at critical change of soft body’s morphology from the dynamics’ point of view, and how morphological compensation may benefit in offloading computation burden from the brain to the body.