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  • Author Author: Catwell
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"Pneubotics," inflatable robots

Catwell

 
If hydraulics can be a locomotion option for robots, why not balloons, it is the same concept. Or so thought the engineers at Otherlab. Their 15 foot long inflatable Ant-Roach was using its inflatable appendages is the same way many multi-legged bots move. The balloon like body is actuated with inflatable muscles via a microcontroller and an array of controllable air-valves. The bot can carry several people as it moves around, up to 1,000 lbs. The bot can be collapsed down after use. Sound like we will all see these soon at various fairs.
 

 
Otherlab is always exploring the use of inflatable joints and hinges. In another recent development, the team built a complete working arm, with an elbow, shoulder, and hands. This is part of the company's "pneubotics" program, showing off the dexterity and cost of a "safe robot." Safe must imply that if this bot were to grab someone, it could not crush them to a pulp. 
 
Like their ideas and want to contribute? They are hiring. San Francisco engineers better hurry on over there.
 
Cabe
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  • in reply to DAB

    Nice robot. But won't it be better to use hydraulics then pneumatics? Mecause muscle in humans body uses blood, and blood is more similar to oil, then air. And I think with hydraulics robot can be stronger with less space in "muscles", because air is compressible. But it's just my point of view image

  • Hi Cabe,

     

    The anoying compressor aside, I think this technology can be used effectively.  That said, they need to start using sets of inflatable joints like the muscle arrangement in the human body.  Movement occures when you inflate one set and deflate another.  When setup with a torsion point or joint, you can create a controlled movement with just a little adjustment to the actual air or fluid you are using.

     

    You can observe from the video, that inflating everything all at once creates a ridged structure that is very difficult to control.  If they scale back the inflation areas and add some joint and bladder controls, they could quickly reach a design where mobility would be very easy to achieve.

     

    DAB