Modular Isoperimetric Soft Robotic Truss for Lunar Applications
🤖 AI Summary
This work addresses the challenges of deploying lightweight, reconfigurable, and sustainable large-scale robotic structures in lunar environments by proposing a modular triangular truss system composed of inflatable fabric tubes and roller units. The system features a novel spherical joint enabling multidirectional triangular connections and incorporates an isoperimetric deformation mechanism that facilitates cable-free structural reconfiguration and locomotion without continuous inflation, achieving a stowage ratio of 1:18.3. Leveraging soft robotics techniques and a step-slide gait control strategy, the approach successfully demonstrates the feasibility of a 12-degree-of-freedom solar array—capable of 60° tilt and omnidirectional rotation—and a 14-degree-of-freedom mobile platform, significantly enhancing deployment efficiency and adaptability for large structures in lunar missions.
Application Category
📝 Abstract
We introduce a large-scale robotic system designed as a lightweight, modular, and reconfigurable structure for lunar applications. The system consists of truss-like robotic triangles formed by continuous inflated fabric tubes routed through two robotic roller units and a connecting unit. A newly developed spherical joint enables up to three triangles to connect at a vertex, allowing construction of truss assemblies beyond a single octahedron. When deflated, the triangles compact to approximately the volume of the roller units, achieving a stowed-to-deployed volume ratio of 1:18.3. Upon inflation, the roller units pinch the tubes, locally reducing bending stiffness to form effective joints. Electric motors then translate the roller units along the tube, shifting the pinch point by lengthening one edge while shortening another at the same rate, thereby preserving a constant perimeter (isoperimetric). This shape-changing process requires no additional compressed air, enabling untethered operation after initial inflation. We demonstrate the system as a 12-degree-of-freedom solar array capable of tilting up to 60 degrees and sweeping 360 degrees, and as a 14-degree-of-freedom locomotion device using a step-and-slide gait. This modular, shape-adaptive system addresses key challenges for sustainable lunar operations and future space missions.
Problem
Research questions and friction points this paper is trying to address.
modular
soft robotic
lunar applications
reconfigurable structure
isoperimetric
Innovation
Methods, ideas, or system contributions that make the work stand out.
modular soft robotics
isoperimetric actuation
inflatable truss
reconfigurable structure
lunar robotics
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