Gecko-inspired robots have significant potential applications;however,deviations in the yaw direction during locomotion are inevitable for legged robots that lack external sensing.These deviations cause the robot to s...Gecko-inspired robots have significant potential applications;however,deviations in the yaw direction during locomotion are inevitable for legged robots that lack external sensing.These deviations cause the robot to stray from its intended path.Therefore,a cost-effective and straightforward solution is essential for reducing this deviation.In nature,the tail is often used to maintain balance and stability.Similarly,it has been used in robots to improve manoeuvrability and stability.Our aim is to reduce this deviation using a morphological computation approach,specifically by adding a tail.To test this hypothesis,we investigated four different tails(rigid plate,rigid gecko-shaped,soft plate,and soft gecko-shaped)and assessed the deviation of the robot with these tails on different slopes.Additionally,to evaluate the influence of different tail parameters,such as material,shape,and linkage,we investigated the locomotion performance in terms of the robot's climbing speed on slopes,its ability to turn at narrow corners,and the resistance of the tails to external disturbances.A new auto-reset joint was designed to ensure that a disturbed tail could be quickly reset.Our results demonstrate that the yaw deviation of the robot can be reduced by applying a tail.Among the four tails,the soft gecko-shaped tail was the most effective for most tasks.In summary,our findings demonstrate the functional role of the tail in reducing yaw deviation,improving climbing ability and stability and provide a reference for selecting the most suitable tail for geckoinspired robots.展开更多
Recently,wearable gait-assist robots have been evolving towards using soft materials designed for the elderly rather than individuals with disabilities,which emphasize modularization,simplification,and weight reductio...Recently,wearable gait-assist robots have been evolving towards using soft materials designed for the elderly rather than individuals with disabilities,which emphasize modularization,simplification,and weight reduction.Thus,synchronizing the robotic assistive force with that of the user’s leg movements is crucial for usability,which requires accurate recognition of the user’s gait intent.In this study,we propose a deep learning model capable of identifying not only gait mode and gait phase but also phase progression.Utilizing data from five inertial measurement units placed on the body,the proposed two-stage architecture incorporates a bidirectional long short-term memory-based model for robust classification of locomotion modes and phases.Subsequently,phase progression is estimated through 1D convolutional neural network-based regressors,each dedicated to a specific phase.The model was evaluated on a diverse dataset encompassing level walking,stair ascent and descent,and sit-to-stand activities from 10 healthy participants.The results demonstrate its ability to accurately classify locomotion phases and estimate phase progression.Accurate phase progression estimation is essential due to the age-related variability in gait phase durations,particularly evident in older adults,the primary demographic for gait-assist robots.These findings underscore the potential to enhance the assistance,comfort,and safety provided by gait-assist robots.展开更多
Underwater jet propulsion bio-inspired robots have typically been designed based on soft-bodied organisms, exhibiting relatively limited forms of locomotion. Scallop, a bivalve organism capable of jet propulsion, hold...Underwater jet propulsion bio-inspired robots have typically been designed based on soft-bodied organisms, exhibiting relatively limited forms of locomotion. Scallop, a bivalve organism capable of jet propulsion, holds significant importance in the study of underwater motion mechanisms. In this study, we present theoretical fluid mechanics analysis and modeling of the three distinct motion stages of scallops, providing parameterized descriptions of scallop locomotion mechanisms. Accordingly, three-stage adaptive motion control for the scallop robot and model-based robot configuration optimization design were achieved. An experimental platform and a robot prototype were built to validate the accuracy of the motion model and the effectiveness of the control strategy. Additionally, based on the models, future optimization directions for the robot are proposed.展开更多
Currently,numerous biomimetic robots inspired by natural biological systems have been developed.However,creating soft robots with versatile locomotion modes remains a significant challenge.Snakes,as invertebrate repti...Currently,numerous biomimetic robots inspired by natural biological systems have been developed.However,creating soft robots with versatile locomotion modes remains a significant challenge.Snakes,as invertebrate reptiles,exhibit diverse and powerful locomotion abilities,including prey constriction,sidewinding,accordion locomotion,and winding climbing,making them a focus of robotics research.In this study,we present a snake-inspired soft robot with an initial coiling structure,fabricated using MXene-cellulose nanofiber ink printed on pre-expanded polyethylene film through direct ink writing technology.The controllable fabrication of initial coiling structure soft robot(ICSBot)has been achieved through theoretical calculations and finite element analysis to predict and analyze the initial structure of ICSBot,and programmable ICSBot has been designed and fabricated.This robot functions as a coiling gripper capable of grasping objects with complex shapes under near infrared light stimulation.Additionally,it demonstrates multi-modal crawling locomotion in various environments,including confined spaces,unstructured terrains,and both inside and outside tubes.These results offer a novel strategy for designing and fabricating coiling-structured soft robots and highlight their potential applications in smart and multifunctional robotics.展开更多
Soft robots capable of navigating complex environments hold promise for minimally invasive medical procedures and micromanipulation tasks.Here,we present a magnetically controlled multi-legged soft robot inspired by g...Soft robots capable of navigating complex environments hold promise for minimally invasive medical procedures and micromanipulation tasks.Here,we present a magnetically controlled multi-legged soft robot inspired by green sea turtle locomotion.Our designed robot,featuring six magnetized feet,demonstrates stable motion within a magnetic field strength range of 1.84–6.44 mT.Locomotion displacement scales linearly with field strength,while velocity correlates with frequency,reaching approximately 25 mm/s at 10 Hz.The robot navigates dry,semi-submerged,and fully submerged conditions,climbs slopes up to 30°,and maneuvers through U-shaped bends.Additionally,we demonstrate the robot's capability to smoothly transition between terrestrial and aquatic environments,demonstrating its amphibious locomotion performance.This adaptability to diverse environments,coupled with precise magnetic control,opens new possibilities for soft robotics in confined and complex spaces.Our findings provide a framework for designing highly maneuverable small-scale soft robots with potential applications ranging from targeted drug delivery to environmental sensing in challenging terrains.展开更多
Zebrafish are increasingly being utilized as a laboratory animal species to study various biological processes,both normal and pathological.It is crucial to comprehend the dynamics of zebrafish locomotion and put fort...Zebrafish are increasingly being utilized as a laboratory animal species to study various biological processes,both normal and pathological.It is crucial to comprehend the dynamics of zebrafish locomotion and put forth realistic models since their locomotion characteristics are employed as feedback indicators in diverse experiments.In this study,we conducted experimental research on the locomotion of zebrafish across various spatial sizes,focusing on the analysis of motion step size and motion direction.The results indicated that the motion step exhibits long-range correlations,the motion direction shows unbiased randomness,and the data characteristics are not influenced by spatial size.The dynamic mechanisms are complicated dynamical processes rather than fractional Brownian or Lévy processes motion.Based on the experimental results,we proposed a model for describing the movement of zebrafish in a circular container.Our findings shed light on the locomotion characteristics of zebrafish,and have the potential to benefit both the biological outcomes of animal tests and the welfare of the subjects.展开更多
The ability of cyborg locusts to achieve directional movement in complex outdoor environments is critical for search and rescue missions.Currently,there is a lack of research on motion control for cyborg locusts in ou...The ability of cyborg locusts to achieve directional movement in complex outdoor environments is critical for search and rescue missions.Currently,there is a lack of research on motion control for cyborg locusts in outdoor settings.In this study,we developed cyborg locusts capable of performing directional locomotion in intricate outdoor environments,including jumping over obstacles,climbing slopes,traversing narrow pipelines,and accurately reaching predetermined targets along specified routes.We designed a miniature electrical backpack(10 mm×10 mm,0.75 g)capable of receiving stimulus parameters(frequency,duty ratio,and stimulation time)via Bluetooth commands from mobile phones.Electrical stimulation of locust sensory organs,such as the antennae and cercus,induced turning and jumping behaviors.Experi-mental testing of locust movement control was conducted under outdoor conditions with a short electrical stimulation interval.Results showed a positive correlation between locust turning angles and electrical stimulation parameters within a specified range,with an average jumping height exceeding 10 cm.Additionally,the success rate of locust turning and jumping behaviors correlated positively with the interval time between electrical stimulations.Adjusting these intervals during forward crawling phases increased the likelihood of the locusts jumping again.In conclusion,this study success-fully achieved directional locomotion control of cyborg locusts outdoors,providing insights and references for advancing search and rescue capabilities.展开更多
Lower Limb Exoskeletons(LLEs)are receiving increasing attention for supporting activities of daily living.In such active systems,an intelligent controller may be indispensable.In this paper,we proposed a locomotion in...Lower Limb Exoskeletons(LLEs)are receiving increasing attention for supporting activities of daily living.In such active systems,an intelligent controller may be indispensable.In this paper,we proposed a locomotion intention recognition system based on time series data sets derived from human motion signals.Composed of input data and Deep Learning(DL)algorithms,this framework enables the detection and prediction of users’movement patterns.This makes it possible to predict the detection of locomotion modes,allowing the LLEs to provide smooth and seamless assistance.The pre-processed eight subjects were used as input to classify four scenes:Standing/Walking on Level Ground(S/WOLG),Up the Stairs(US),Down the Stairs(DS),and Walking on Grass(WOG).The result showed that the ResNet performed optimally compared to four algorithms(CNN,CNN-LSTM,ResNet,and ResNet-Att)with an approximate evaluation indicator of 100%.It is expected that the proposed locomotion intention system will significantly improve the safety and the effectiveness of LLE due to its high accuracy and predictive performance.展开更多
Inspired by the morphology characteristics and the locomotion mechanisms of the earthworm,and the snakes’morphology characteristics and motivated by the demands for multi-modal locomotion robots in variable working e...Inspired by the morphology characteristics and the locomotion mechanisms of the earthworm,and the snakes’morphology characteristics and motivated by the demands for multi-modal locomotion robots in variable working environments,this paper presents a novel bi-modal robot named as Snake-Worm Locomotion Robot(SWL-Robot).Two fundamentally different locomotion mechanisms,the earthworm’s peristaltic rectilinear locomotion and the snake’s lateral undulation,are synthesized in the SWL-Robot design.In detail,the SWL-Robot consists of six earthworm-like body segments interconnected by rotational joints and a head segment equipped with a couple of independently driven wheels.By actuating the segments following a peristaltic wave-like gait,the robot as a whole could perform earthworm-like rectilinear crawling.The robot could also perform snake-like undulatory locomotion driven by differential motions of the wheels at the head segment.To understand the relationship between the design parameters and the robotic locomotion performance,kinematic models of the SWL-Robot corresponding to the two locomotion modes are developed.Rich locomotion behaviors of the SWL-Robot are achieved,including the peristaltic locomotion inside a tube,multiple planar motions on a flat surface,and a hybrid motion that switches between the tube and the flat surface.It shows that the measured trajectories of the SWL-Robot agree well with the theoretical predictions.The SWL-Robot is promising to be implemented in tasks where both tubular and flat environments may be encountered.展开更多
Aim: This dissection study was conducted to verify if the Myofascial kinetic lines, outlined in detail in humans and recently documented in horses, were present in dogs. These dynamic lines present rows of interconnec...Aim: This dissection study was conducted to verify if the Myofascial kinetic lines, outlined in detail in humans and recently documented in horses, were present in dogs. These dynamic lines present rows of interconnected muscles, myofascia and other fascia structures, which influence the biomechanics of the spine and limbs. Methods: Forty-two dogs of different breeds and genders were dissected, imaged, and videoed. Results: Similar kinetic lines were verified in the dog, as described in humans and horses, and additionally, three new branches of the lines were discovered. The kinetic lines described were three superficial lines: Dorsal, Ventral, and Lateral, which all started in the hindlimb and ended in the temporal and occipital regions. These lines act respectively in spinal extension, flexion, and lateral flexion. Three profound lines, which started in the tail and ended in the head. The Deep Dorsal Line followed the transversospinal myofascia. The Deep Ventral Line showed an additional start deep in the medial hind limb, continued in the hypaxial myofascia, and enveloped all the viscera. Also, the Deep Lateral Line started in the hindlimb but parted along the trunk in the deep lateral myofascial structures. Two helical lines crossed the midline two or three times and served to rotate the spine. The Functional Line established a sling from the axilla to the contralateral stifle and presented a new ipsilateral branch. The Spiral Line connected the head and the ipsilateral tarsus and additionally presented a new straight branch. The four front limb lines describe their motion: the Front Limb Protraction and Retraction, Adduction, and Abduction Lines. Conclusion: The canine lines mirrored the equine and human lines with exceptions due to differences in anatomy, foot posture, lumbosacral flexibility, and their biomechanical constitution as predator versus prey animals. Additionally, three new canine branches were verified and described.展开更多
To establish a universal and easily controlled gait for practical use of snakelike robot movement, an inchworm locomotion gait model based on a serpenoid curve is presented. By analyzing the relations of two adjacent ...To establish a universal and easily controlled gait for practical use of snakelike robot movement, an inchworm locomotion gait model based on a serpenoid curve is presented. By analyzing the relations of two adjacent waves in the process of locomotion and doing an approximation of the serpenoid curve, the motion function of relative angles between two adjacent links and the absolute angles between each link and the baseline on the traveling curve are built. Two efficiency criterions of the gait are given as the energy loss function f and the unit displacement in one cycle dunit.Three parameters of the criterions affecting the efficiency of the gait （ the number of links that form the traveling wave n, the included angle between two adjacent links α, and the phase difference of adjacent included angles β） are discussed by simulations and experiments. The results show that f is insensitive to n; raising n increases dunit significantly; the maximum wave amplitude of α is a decreasing function of n; and increasing α reduces the displacement influence off when n is determined. The gait model is suitable for different inchworm locomotions of a snakelike robot whose traveling waves are formed by different numbers of identical links. A wave formed by more links or a greater relative angle between two adjacent links both lead to greater velocity of the movement.展开更多
Geckos can move quickly in various environments by efficiently controlling their complex adhesive toe pads.The locomotion behaviours observed in the attachment-detachment(A-D)cycle of their toe pads in response to cha...Geckos can move quickly in various environments by efficiently controlling their complex adhesive toe pads.The locomotion behaviours observed in the attachment-detachment(A-D)cycle of their toe pads in response to changes in their environment should be studied to understand the adaptive behavioural characteristics of such toe pads.The lack of systematic research on the entire A-D cycle,including the release,swing,contact,and adhesion stages,limits the comprehension of the adhesive locomotion mechanism.The A-D cycle of Gekko gecko that facilitates the foot locomotion on inclined and vertical surfaces was investigated to clarify the locomotion behaviours in different stages.Results show that the change trends of foot locomotor angles(yaw and pitch)during the entire A-D cycle remain unchanged in response to various substrates.The bending angles(fore 41°;hind 51°)and contact time percentages(fore 7.42%;hind 7.44%)in the contact stage as well as the forefoot angle ranges(yaw:163.09°;pitch:308.68°)in the A-D cycle also remain constant across all substrates.These invariant foot locomotion behaviours during the swing and contact stages suggest that the foot behaviours are weakly related to the forces acting on the foot,which change according to the environment.Furthermore,the forefoot and hindfoot have different anatomical structure and functional demands,thus,the angle range of forefoot locomotion is larger than that of hindfoot locomotion,and the pitch angle change trend of the forefoot is opposite to that of the hindfoot.The diverse and complex locomotion control of the adhesive toe pads for various environments is reduced by the consistent behaviours in the gecko’s A-D cycle,such as the constant postures in the swing and contact stages.This study provides insight into the adhesive locomotion mechanism of geckos and can facilitate further research on the effective design and control of adhesion robots.展开更多
As a hyper-redundant robot, a 3D snake-like robot can perform many other configurations and types of locomotion adapted to environment except for mimicking the natural snake locomotion. The natural snake locomotion us...As a hyper-redundant robot, a 3D snake-like robot can perform many other configurations and types of locomotion adapted to environment except for mimicking the natural snake locomotion. The natural snake locomotion usually limits locomotion capability of the robot because of inadequacy in the mechanism and actuation to imitate characters of natural snake such as the too many DOFs and the characteristics of the muscle. In order to apply snake-like robots to the unstructured environment, the researchers have designed many gaits for increasing the adaptability to a variety of surroundings. The twist-related locomotion is an effective gait achieved by jointly driving the pitching-DOF and yawing-DOF, with which the snakelike robot can move on rough ground and even climb up some obstacles. In dfis paper, the twist-related locomotion function is firstly solved, and simplified to be expressible by sine or cosine function. The 2D locomotion such as V-shape and U-shape is achieved. Also by applying it to the serpentine locomotion or other types of locomotion, the snake-like robot can complete composite locomotion that combines the serpentine locomotion or others with twist-related locomotion. Then we extend the twist-related locomotion to 3D space. Finally, the experimental results are presented to validate all above analyses.展开更多
Locomotion behaviors are susceptible to disruption by a broad spectrum of chemicals and environmental stresses. However, no systematic testing of locomotion behavior defects induced by metal exposure has been conducte...Locomotion behaviors are susceptible to disruption by a broad spectrum of chemicals and environmental stresses. However, no systematic testing of locomotion behavior defects induced by metal exposure has been conducted in the model organism of nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study, the acute toxicity from heavy metal exposure on the locomotion behaviors was analyzed in nematodes. Endpoints of head thrash, body bend, forward turn, backward turn, and Omega/U turn were chosen to evaluate the locomotio...展开更多
There are many kinds of swimming mode in the fish world, and we investigated two of them, used by cyprinids and bulltrout. In this paper we track the locomotion locus by marks in different flow velocity from 0.2 m...There are many kinds of swimming mode in the fish world, and we investigated two of them, used by cyprinids and bulltrout. In this paper we track the locomotion locus by marks in different flow velocity from 0.2 m·s^-1 to 0.8 m·s^-1. By fit the data above we could find out the locomotion mechanism of the two kinds of fish and generate a mathematical model of fish kine- matics. The cyprinid fish has a greater oscillation period and amplitude compared with the bulltrout, and the bulltrout changes velocity mainly by controlling frequency of oscillation.展开更多
The fore leg of mole cricket （Orthoptera： Glyllotalpidae） has developed into claw for digging and excavating. As the result of having a well-suited body and appendages for living underground, mole cricket still nee...The fore leg of mole cricket （Orthoptera： Glyllotalpidae） has developed into claw for digging and excavating. As the result of having a well-suited body and appendages for living underground, mole cricket still needs to manoeuvre on land in some cases with some kinds of gait. In this paper, the three-dimensional kinematics information of mole cricket in terrestrial walking was recorded by using a high speed 3D video recording system. The mode and the gait of the terrestrial walking mole cricket were investigated by analyzing the kinematics parameters, and the kinematics coupling disciplines of each limb and body were discussed. The results show that the locomotion gait of mole cricket in terrestrial walking belongs to a distinctive alternating tripod gait. We also found that the fore legs of a mole cricket are not as effective as that of common hexapod insects, its middle legs and body joints act more effective in walking and turning which compensate the function of fore legs. The terrestrial lo-comotion of mole cricket is the result of biological coupling of three pairs of legs, the distinctive alternating tripod gait and the trunk locomotion.展开更多
While eye sensitivity in the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus has long been known to be under the control of an endogenous circadian clock, only recently has horseshoe crab locomotion been shown to be contro...While eye sensitivity in the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus has long been known to be under the control of an endogenous circadian clock, only recently has horseshoe crab locomotion been shown to be controlled by a separate clock system. In the laboratory, this system drives clear activity rhythms throughout much of the year, not just during the mating season when horseshoe crabs express clear tidal rhythms in the field. Water temperature is a key factor influencing the expression of these rhythms： at 17~C tidal rhythms are expressed by most animals, while at I l^C expression of circatidal rhythms is rarely seen, and at 4~C rhythms are suppressed. Neither long （16：8 Light：Dark） nor short （8：16） photoperiods modify this behavior at any of these temperatures. Synchronization of these circatidal rhythms can be most readily effeeted by water pressure cycles both in situ and in the lab, while temperature and current cycles play lesser, but possibly contributory, roles. Interestingly, Light：Dark cycles appear to have synchronizing as well as ＂masking＂ effects in some individuals. Evidence that each of two daily bouts of activity are independent suggests that the Limulus circatidal rhythm of locomotion is driven by two （circalunidian） clocks, each with a period of 24.8h. While the anatomical locations of either the circadian clock, that drives fluctuations in visual sensitivity, or the circatidal clock, that controls tidal rhythms of locomotion, are currently unknown, preliminary molecular analyses have shown that a 71 kD protein that reacts with antibodies directed against the Drosophila PERIOD （PER） protein is found in both the pro- tocerebrum and the subesophageal ganglion展开更多
基金supported by the National Key Research&Development Program of China(Grant No.2020YFB1313504)the State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control for Aerospace Structures of Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics.
文摘Gecko-inspired robots have significant potential applications;however,deviations in the yaw direction during locomotion are inevitable for legged robots that lack external sensing.These deviations cause the robot to stray from its intended path.Therefore,a cost-effective and straightforward solution is essential for reducing this deviation.In nature,the tail is often used to maintain balance and stability.Similarly,it has been used in robots to improve manoeuvrability and stability.Our aim is to reduce this deviation using a morphological computation approach,specifically by adding a tail.To test this hypothesis,we investigated four different tails(rigid plate,rigid gecko-shaped,soft plate,and soft gecko-shaped)and assessed the deviation of the robot with these tails on different slopes.Additionally,to evaluate the influence of different tail parameters,such as material,shape,and linkage,we investigated the locomotion performance in terms of the robot's climbing speed on slopes,its ability to turn at narrow corners,and the resistance of the tails to external disturbances.A new auto-reset joint was designed to ensure that a disturbed tail could be quickly reset.Our results demonstrate that the yaw deviation of the robot can be reduced by applying a tail.Among the four tails,the soft gecko-shaped tail was the most effective for most tasks.In summary,our findings demonstrate the functional role of the tail in reducing yaw deviation,improving climbing ability and stability and provide a reference for selecting the most suitable tail for geckoinspired robots.
基金supported by a grant of the Korea Health Technology R&D Project through the Korea Health Industry Development Institute(KHIDI)funded by the Ministry of Health&Welfare,Republic of Korea(Grant Number:RS-2022-KH129263).
文摘Recently,wearable gait-assist robots have been evolving towards using soft materials designed for the elderly rather than individuals with disabilities,which emphasize modularization,simplification,and weight reduction.Thus,synchronizing the robotic assistive force with that of the user’s leg movements is crucial for usability,which requires accurate recognition of the user’s gait intent.In this study,we propose a deep learning model capable of identifying not only gait mode and gait phase but also phase progression.Utilizing data from five inertial measurement units placed on the body,the proposed two-stage architecture incorporates a bidirectional long short-term memory-based model for robust classification of locomotion modes and phases.Subsequently,phase progression is estimated through 1D convolutional neural network-based regressors,each dedicated to a specific phase.The model was evaluated on a diverse dataset encompassing level walking,stair ascent and descent,and sit-to-stand activities from 10 healthy participants.The results demonstrate its ability to accurately classify locomotion phases and estimate phase progression.Accurate phase progression estimation is essential due to the age-related variability in gait phase durations,particularly evident in older adults,the primary demographic for gait-assist robots.These findings underscore the potential to enhance the assistance,comfort,and safety provided by gait-assist robots.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.30922010719).
文摘Underwater jet propulsion bio-inspired robots have typically been designed based on soft-bodied organisms, exhibiting relatively limited forms of locomotion. Scallop, a bivalve organism capable of jet propulsion, holds significant importance in the study of underwater motion mechanisms. In this study, we present theoretical fluid mechanics analysis and modeling of the three distinct motion stages of scallops, providing parameterized descriptions of scallop locomotion mechanisms. Accordingly, three-stage adaptive motion control for the scallop robot and model-based robot configuration optimization design were achieved. An experimental platform and a robot prototype were built to validate the accuracy of the motion model and the effectiveness of the control strategy. Additionally, based on the models, future optimization directions for the robot are proposed.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(NO.2024YFB3409900)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(NO.2023M730845)the Heilongjiang Postdoctoral Fund(NO.LBH-Z23182)。
文摘Currently,numerous biomimetic robots inspired by natural biological systems have been developed.However,creating soft robots with versatile locomotion modes remains a significant challenge.Snakes,as invertebrate reptiles,exhibit diverse and powerful locomotion abilities,including prey constriction,sidewinding,accordion locomotion,and winding climbing,making them a focus of robotics research.In this study,we present a snake-inspired soft robot with an initial coiling structure,fabricated using MXene-cellulose nanofiber ink printed on pre-expanded polyethylene film through direct ink writing technology.The controllable fabrication of initial coiling structure soft robot(ICSBot)has been achieved through theoretical calculations and finite element analysis to predict and analyze the initial structure of ICSBot,and programmable ICSBot has been designed and fabricated.This robot functions as a coiling gripper capable of grasping objects with complex shapes under near infrared light stimulation.Additionally,it demonstrates multi-modal crawling locomotion in various environments,including confined spaces,unstructured terrains,and both inside and outside tubes.These results offer a novel strategy for designing and fabricating coiling-structured soft robots and highlight their potential applications in smart and multifunctional robotics.
基金supported by Shenzhen Science and Technology Program(nos.JCYJ20210324132810026,GXWD20220811164014001 and KQTD20210811090146075)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(no.52375175)+3 种基金Guangdong Basic and Applied Basic Research Foundation(no.2024A1515240015)Jiangsu Provincial Outstanding Youth Program(no.BK20230072)Suzhou Industrial Foresight and Key Core Technology Project(no.SYC2022044)grants from Jiangsu QingLan Project and Jiangsu 333 high-level talents.
文摘Soft robots capable of navigating complex environments hold promise for minimally invasive medical procedures and micromanipulation tasks.Here,we present a magnetically controlled multi-legged soft robot inspired by green sea turtle locomotion.Our designed robot,featuring six magnetized feet,demonstrates stable motion within a magnetic field strength range of 1.84–6.44 mT.Locomotion displacement scales linearly with field strength,while velocity correlates with frequency,reaching approximately 25 mm/s at 10 Hz.The robot navigates dry,semi-submerged,and fully submerged conditions,climbs slopes up to 30°,and maneuvers through U-shaped bends.Additionally,we demonstrate the robot's capability to smoothly transition between terrestrial and aquatic environments,demonstrating its amphibious locomotion performance.This adaptability to diverse environments,coupled with precise magnetic control,opens new possibilities for soft robotics in confined and complex spaces.Our findings provide a framework for designing highly maneuverable small-scale soft robots with potential applications ranging from targeted drug delivery to environmental sensing in challenging terrains.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.12205006)the Excellent Youth Scientific Research Project of Anhui Province,China(Grant No.2022AH030107)。
文摘Zebrafish are increasingly being utilized as a laboratory animal species to study various biological processes,both normal and pathological.It is crucial to comprehend the dynamics of zebrafish locomotion and put forth realistic models since their locomotion characteristics are employed as feedback indicators in diverse experiments.In this study,we conducted experimental research on the locomotion of zebrafish across various spatial sizes,focusing on the analysis of motion step size and motion direction.The results indicated that the motion step exhibits long-range correlations,the motion direction shows unbiased randomness,and the data characteristics are not influenced by spatial size.The dynamic mechanisms are complicated dynamical processes rather than fractional Brownian or Lévy processes motion.Based on the experimental results,we proposed a model for describing the movement of zebrafish in a circular container.Our findings shed light on the locomotion characteristics of zebrafish,and have the potential to benefit both the biological outcomes of animal tests and the welfare of the subjects.
基金supported by Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province under Grant KYCX22_0290.
文摘The ability of cyborg locusts to achieve directional movement in complex outdoor environments is critical for search and rescue missions.Currently,there is a lack of research on motion control for cyborg locusts in outdoor settings.In this study,we developed cyborg locusts capable of performing directional locomotion in intricate outdoor environments,including jumping over obstacles,climbing slopes,traversing narrow pipelines,and accurately reaching predetermined targets along specified routes.We designed a miniature electrical backpack(10 mm×10 mm,0.75 g)capable of receiving stimulus parameters(frequency,duty ratio,and stimulation time)via Bluetooth commands from mobile phones.Electrical stimulation of locust sensory organs,such as the antennae and cercus,induced turning and jumping behaviors.Experi-mental testing of locust movement control was conducted under outdoor conditions with a short electrical stimulation interval.Results showed a positive correlation between locust turning angles and electrical stimulation parameters within a specified range,with an average jumping height exceeding 10 cm.Additionally,the success rate of locust turning and jumping behaviors correlated positively with the interval time between electrical stimulations.Adjusting these intervals during forward crawling phases increased the likelihood of the locusts jumping again.In conclusion,this study success-fully achieved directional locomotion control of cyborg locusts outdoors,providing insights and references for advancing search and rescue capabilities.
基金the financial support of Shanghai Science and Technology innovation action plan(19DZ2203600).
文摘Lower Limb Exoskeletons(LLEs)are receiving increasing attention for supporting activities of daily living.In such active systems,an intelligent controller may be indispensable.In this paper,we proposed a locomotion intention recognition system based on time series data sets derived from human motion signals.Composed of input data and Deep Learning(DL)algorithms,this framework enables the detection and prediction of users’movement patterns.This makes it possible to predict the detection of locomotion modes,allowing the LLEs to provide smooth and seamless assistance.The pre-processed eight subjects were used as input to classify four scenes:Standing/Walking on Level Ground(S/WOLG),Up the Stairs(US),Down the Stairs(DS),and Walking on Grass(WOG).The result showed that the ResNet performed optimally compared to four algorithms(CNN,CNN-LSTM,ResNet,and ResNet-Att)with an approximate evaluation indicator of 100%.It is expected that the proposed locomotion intention system will significantly improve the safety and the effectiveness of LLE due to its high accuracy and predictive performance.
基金This research is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant no.11932015the Major Research Plan of the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant no.91748203.
文摘Inspired by the morphology characteristics and the locomotion mechanisms of the earthworm,and the snakes’morphology characteristics and motivated by the demands for multi-modal locomotion robots in variable working environments,this paper presents a novel bi-modal robot named as Snake-Worm Locomotion Robot(SWL-Robot).Two fundamentally different locomotion mechanisms,the earthworm’s peristaltic rectilinear locomotion and the snake’s lateral undulation,are synthesized in the SWL-Robot design.In detail,the SWL-Robot consists of six earthworm-like body segments interconnected by rotational joints and a head segment equipped with a couple of independently driven wheels.By actuating the segments following a peristaltic wave-like gait,the robot as a whole could perform earthworm-like rectilinear crawling.The robot could also perform snake-like undulatory locomotion driven by differential motions of the wheels at the head segment.To understand the relationship between the design parameters and the robotic locomotion performance,kinematic models of the SWL-Robot corresponding to the two locomotion modes are developed.Rich locomotion behaviors of the SWL-Robot are achieved,including the peristaltic locomotion inside a tube,multiple planar motions on a flat surface,and a hybrid motion that switches between the tube and the flat surface.It shows that the measured trajectories of the SWL-Robot agree well with the theoretical predictions.The SWL-Robot is promising to be implemented in tasks where both tubular and flat environments may be encountered.
文摘Aim: This dissection study was conducted to verify if the Myofascial kinetic lines, outlined in detail in humans and recently documented in horses, were present in dogs. These dynamic lines present rows of interconnected muscles, myofascia and other fascia structures, which influence the biomechanics of the spine and limbs. Methods: Forty-two dogs of different breeds and genders were dissected, imaged, and videoed. Results: Similar kinetic lines were verified in the dog, as described in humans and horses, and additionally, three new branches of the lines were discovered. The kinetic lines described were three superficial lines: Dorsal, Ventral, and Lateral, which all started in the hindlimb and ended in the temporal and occipital regions. These lines act respectively in spinal extension, flexion, and lateral flexion. Three profound lines, which started in the tail and ended in the head. The Deep Dorsal Line followed the transversospinal myofascia. The Deep Ventral Line showed an additional start deep in the medial hind limb, continued in the hypaxial myofascia, and enveloped all the viscera. Also, the Deep Lateral Line started in the hindlimb but parted along the trunk in the deep lateral myofascial structures. Two helical lines crossed the midline two or three times and served to rotate the spine. The Functional Line established a sling from the axilla to the contralateral stifle and presented a new ipsilateral branch. The Spiral Line connected the head and the ipsilateral tarsus and additionally presented a new straight branch. The four front limb lines describe their motion: the Front Limb Protraction and Retraction, Adduction, and Abduction Lines. Conclusion: The canine lines mirrored the equine and human lines with exceptions due to differences in anatomy, foot posture, lumbosacral flexibility, and their biomechanical constitution as predator versus prey animals. Additionally, three new canine branches were verified and described.
文摘To establish a universal and easily controlled gait for practical use of snakelike robot movement, an inchworm locomotion gait model based on a serpenoid curve is presented. By analyzing the relations of two adjacent waves in the process of locomotion and doing an approximation of the serpenoid curve, the motion function of relative angles between two adjacent links and the absolute angles between each link and the baseline on the traveling curve are built. Two efficiency criterions of the gait are given as the energy loss function f and the unit displacement in one cycle dunit.Three parameters of the criterions affecting the efficiency of the gait （ the number of links that form the traveling wave n, the included angle between two adjacent links α, and the phase difference of adjacent included angles β） are discussed by simulations and experiments. The results show that f is insensitive to n; raising n increases dunit significantly; the maximum wave amplitude of α is a decreasing function of n; and increasing α reduces the displacement influence off when n is determined. The gait model is suitable for different inchworm locomotions of a snakelike robot whose traveling waves are formed by different numbers of identical links. A wave formed by more links or a greater relative angle between two adjacent links both lead to greater velocity of the movement.
基金supported by the National Key R&D program of China (2019YFB1309600)National Natural Science Foundation of China (51975283).
文摘Geckos can move quickly in various environments by efficiently controlling their complex adhesive toe pads.The locomotion behaviours observed in the attachment-detachment(A-D)cycle of their toe pads in response to changes in their environment should be studied to understand the adaptive behavioural characteristics of such toe pads.The lack of systematic research on the entire A-D cycle,including the release,swing,contact,and adhesion stages,limits the comprehension of the adhesive locomotion mechanism.The A-D cycle of Gekko gecko that facilitates the foot locomotion on inclined and vertical surfaces was investigated to clarify the locomotion behaviours in different stages.Results show that the change trends of foot locomotor angles(yaw and pitch)during the entire A-D cycle remain unchanged in response to various substrates.The bending angles(fore 41°;hind 51°)and contact time percentages(fore 7.42%;hind 7.44%)in the contact stage as well as the forefoot angle ranges(yaw:163.09°;pitch:308.68°)in the A-D cycle also remain constant across all substrates.These invariant foot locomotion behaviours during the swing and contact stages suggest that the foot behaviours are weakly related to the forces acting on the foot,which change according to the environment.Furthermore,the forefoot and hindfoot have different anatomical structure and functional demands,thus,the angle range of forefoot locomotion is larger than that of hindfoot locomotion,and the pitch angle change trend of the forefoot is opposite to that of the hindfoot.The diverse and complex locomotion control of the adhesive toe pads for various environments is reduced by the consistent behaviours in the gecko’s A-D cycle,such as the constant postures in the swing and contact stages.This study provides insight into the adhesive locomotion mechanism of geckos and can facilitate further research on the effective design and control of adhesion robots.
文摘As a hyper-redundant robot, a 3D snake-like robot can perform many other configurations and types of locomotion adapted to environment except for mimicking the natural snake locomotion. The natural snake locomotion usually limits locomotion capability of the robot because of inadequacy in the mechanism and actuation to imitate characters of natural snake such as the too many DOFs and the characteristics of the muscle. In order to apply snake-like robots to the unstructured environment, the researchers have designed many gaits for increasing the adaptability to a variety of surroundings. The twist-related locomotion is an effective gait achieved by jointly driving the pitching-DOF and yawing-DOF, with which the snakelike robot can move on rough ground and even climb up some obstacles. In dfis paper, the twist-related locomotion function is firstly solved, and simplified to be expressible by sine or cosine function. The 2D locomotion such as V-shape and U-shape is achieved. Also by applying it to the serpentine locomotion or other types of locomotion, the snake-like robot can complete composite locomotion that combines the serpentine locomotion or others with twist-related locomotion. Then we extend the twist-related locomotion to 3D space. Finally, the experimental results are presented to validate all above analyses.
基金the Southeast Uni-versity Foundation for Excellent Young Scholars (No.4023001013)the NIH,National Center for Foundation from Research Resource,USA
文摘Locomotion behaviors are susceptible to disruption by a broad spectrum of chemicals and environmental stresses. However, no systematic testing of locomotion behavior defects induced by metal exposure has been conducted in the model organism of nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study, the acute toxicity from heavy metal exposure on the locomotion behaviors was analyzed in nematodes. Endpoints of head thrash, body bend, forward turn, backward turn, and Omega/U turn were chosen to evaluate the locomotio...
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 50579007)
文摘There are many kinds of swimming mode in the fish world, and we investigated two of them, used by cyprinids and bulltrout. In this paper we track the locomotion locus by marks in different flow velocity from 0.2 m·s^-1 to 0.8 m·s^-1. By fit the data above we could find out the locomotion mechanism of the two kinds of fish and generate a mathematical model of fish kine- matics. The cyprinid fish has a greater oscillation period and amplitude compared with the bulltrout, and the bulltrout changes velocity mainly by controlling frequency of oscillation.
基金Acknowledgement This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation （Grant No. 50635030）.
文摘The fore leg of mole cricket （Orthoptera： Glyllotalpidae） has developed into claw for digging and excavating. As the result of having a well-suited body and appendages for living underground, mole cricket still needs to manoeuvre on land in some cases with some kinds of gait. In this paper, the three-dimensional kinematics information of mole cricket in terrestrial walking was recorded by using a high speed 3D video recording system. The mode and the gait of the terrestrial walking mole cricket were investigated by analyzing the kinematics parameters, and the kinematics coupling disciplines of each limb and body were discussed. The results show that the locomotion gait of mole cricket in terrestrial walking belongs to a distinctive alternating tripod gait. We also found that the fore legs of a mole cricket are not as effective as that of common hexapod insects, its middle legs and body joints act more effective in walking and turning which compensate the function of fore legs. The terrestrial lo-comotion of mole cricket is the result of biological coupling of three pairs of legs, the distinctive alternating tripod gait and the trunk locomotion.
文摘While eye sensitivity in the American horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus has long been known to be under the control of an endogenous circadian clock, only recently has horseshoe crab locomotion been shown to be controlled by a separate clock system. In the laboratory, this system drives clear activity rhythms throughout much of the year, not just during the mating season when horseshoe crabs express clear tidal rhythms in the field. Water temperature is a key factor influencing the expression of these rhythms： at 17~C tidal rhythms are expressed by most animals, while at I l^C expression of circatidal rhythms is rarely seen, and at 4~C rhythms are suppressed. Neither long （16：8 Light：Dark） nor short （8：16） photoperiods modify this behavior at any of these temperatures. Synchronization of these circatidal rhythms can be most readily effeeted by water pressure cycles both in situ and in the lab, while temperature and current cycles play lesser, but possibly contributory, roles. Interestingly, Light：Dark cycles appear to have synchronizing as well as ＂masking＂ effects in some individuals. Evidence that each of two daily bouts of activity are independent suggests that the Limulus circatidal rhythm of locomotion is driven by two （circalunidian） clocks, each with a period of 24.8h. While the anatomical locations of either the circadian clock, that drives fluctuations in visual sensitivity, or the circatidal clock, that controls tidal rhythms of locomotion, are currently unknown, preliminary molecular analyses have shown that a 71 kD protein that reacts with antibodies directed against the Drosophila PERIOD （PER） protein is found in both the pro- tocerebrum and the subesophageal ganglion
