Development of an automatic design method using a 3D printer for a robot with a deformation mechanism

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 21K17828
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 61050:Intelligent robotics-related
• Research Institution: Future University-Hakodate
• Principal Investigator: Yamauchi Sho 公立はこだて未来大学, システム情報科学部, 准教授 (60781200)
• Project Period (FY): 2021-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: ロボット / 変形 / 3Dプリンタ / 自動設計 / 最適化計算

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Based on the automatic robot design method and theorizing on deformation, which can simplify the design of robots with a three-dimensional internal structure and realize automatic design by computer as an optimization problem, a design method for robots that have a deformation mechanism and change their body structure to suit the task is realized. This research has made it possible to define deformations according to a computational formula. Optimization calculations can be performed by determining fitness values based on the shape of robots and the desired shape. The optimization calculations were performed on the input model, and the feasibility of automatic design of the deformation mechanism was confirmed through experiments.

Free Research Field

自律ロボット

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

近年では状況に合わせて最適な身体構造に素早く切り替えて複数の機能を実行できるロボットの可能性を模索した事例が多数発表されている．しかしそれら事例では変形機構を有したロボットに対する根本的な設計手法が議論されておらず，切り替えられる身体構造の範囲も限定的である．こうしたことから，今後ロボットの活動範囲のさらなる拡大を考える上で既存の手法では限界があると考え，ロボットの変形機構設計に対する理論的な基盤を構築し，実現するという本研究の着想に至り，その第一歩となる研究成果である．