Locomotion of amorphous surface robots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9229451-B2
Application number	US-201414189019-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2014
Priority date	Jan 10, 2011
Publication date	Jan 5, 2016
Grant date	Jan 5, 2016

Abstract

An amorphous robot includes a compartmented bladder containing fluid, a valve assembly, and an outer layer encapsulating the bladder and valve assembly. The valve assembly draws fluid from a compartment(s) and discharges the drawn fluid into a designated compartment to displace the designated compartment with respect to the surface. Another embodiment includes elements each having a variable property, an outer layer that encapsulates the elements, and a control unit. The control unit energizes a designated element to change its variable property, thereby moving the designated element. The elements may be electromagnetic spheres with a variable polarity or shape memory polymers with changing shape and/or size. Yet another embodiment includes an elongated flexible tube filled with ferrofluid, a moveable electromagnet, an actuator, and a control unit. The control unit energizes the electromagnet and moves the electromagnet via the actuator to magnetize the ferrofluid and lengthen the flexible tube.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An amorphous robot for use on a surface, the amorphous robot comprising:
a plurality of elements each having a variable property;
a flexible outer layer that encapsulates the plurality of elements;
a control unit in electrical communication with each of the plurality of elements;
wherein the control unit selectively energizes a designated one of the elements to change the variable property of the designated element, thereby moving the designated element in a direction of movement with respect to the remaining elements such that the amorphous robot moves with respect to the surface in the direction of movement of the designated element; and
wherein each of the elements is a shape memory polymer (SMP) cell, and wherein the variable property is at least one of a variable shape and a variable size of the SMP cell;
wherein the control unit selectively transmits an electrical current into the designated element to change one of the variable shape and the variable size of the SMP cell; and
a sensor pack that is encapsulated within each of the SMP cells in communication with the control unit, wherein each of the sensor packs transmits a position, signal to the control unit.

2. The amorphous robot of claim 1 , wherein the flexible outer layer contains a supply of damping fluid.

3. The amorphous robot of claim 1 , wherein each of the elements is an electromagnetic sphere, and wherein the variable property is the magnetic polarity of the electromagnetic sphere.

4. The amorphous robot of claim 3 , wherein each of the electromagnetic spheres includes an outer shell and conductive coils, and wherein the control unit changes the magnetic polarity by changing the direction of flow of an electrical current through the conductive coils.

5. The amorphous robot of claim 1 , wherein the flexible outer layer includes surface asperities which grip the surface to facilitate movement of the robot with respect to the surface.

6. An amorphous robot for use on a surface, the amorphous robot comprising:
a plurality of dements each having a variable property, wherein each of the elements is a shape polymer (SMP) cell, and wherein, the variable property is at least one of a variable shape and a variable size of the SMP cell;
a flexible outer layer that encapsulates the plurality of dements; and
a control unit in electrical communication with each of the plurality of elements;
wherein the control unit selectively energizes a designated one of the elements to change the variable property of the designated element thereby moving the designated element in a direction of movement with respect to the remaining elements that the amorphous robot moves with respect to the surface in the direction of movement of the designated, element;
wherein each of the elements is a shape memory polymer (SMP) cell, and wherein the variable property is at least one of a variable shape and a variable size of the SMP cell;
wherein the control unit selectively transmits an electrical current into the designated element to change one of the variable shape and the variable size of the SMP cell; and
a sensor pack that is encapsulated within each of the SMP cells in communication with the control unit, wherein each of the sensor packs transmits a position, signal to the control unit.

7. The amorphous robot of claim 6 , further comprising a sensor pack that is encapsulated within each of the SMP cells in communication with the control unit, wherein each of the sensor packs transmits a position signal to the control unit.

8. The amorphous robot of claim 7 , wherein the control unit selectively transmits an electrical current into the designated element to change one of the variable shape and the variable size of the SMP cell.

9. The amorphous robot of claim 7 , wherein heat stimulates change to the variable shape and the variable size of the SMP cell.

10. The amorphous robot of claim 7 , wherein light stimulates change to the variable shape and the variable size of the SMP cell.

11. The amorphous robot of claim 7 , wherein the flexible outer layer includes surface asperities which grip the surface to facilitate movement of the robot with respect to the surface.

12. An amorphous robot for use on a surface, the amorphous robot comprising:
a plurality of electromagnetic spheres each having an outer shell and a conductive coil, wherein each of the electromagnetic spheres has a variable magnetic polarity;
a flexible outer layer that encapsulates the plurality of electromagnetic spheres, Where to the flexible outer layer includes surface asperities which, grip the surface to facilitate movement of the robot in a direction of movement with respect to the surface;
a control unit in electrical communication with each of the electromagnetic spheres;
wherein the control unit selectively changes a direction of flow of an electrical current through the conductive coil of a respective one of the electromagnetic spheres to thereby change the variable magnetic polarity of the respective electromagnetic sphere: thereby moving the respective electromagnetic sphere arid the robot in the direction of movement;
wherein each of the elements is a shape memory polymer (SMP) cell, and wherein the variable property is at least one of a variable shape and a variable size of the SMP cell;
wherein the control unit selectively transmits an electrical current into the designated element to change one of the variable shape and the variable size of the SMP cell; and
a sensor pack that is encapsulated within each of the SMP cells in communication with the control unit, wherein each of the sensor packs transmits a position, signal to the control unit.

Assignees

• Nasa
• Nasa

Inventors

• Bradley Arthur T

Classifications

• B62D57/00 Primary

  Vehicles characterised by having other propulsion or other ground- engaging means than wheels or endless track, alone or in addition to wheels or endless track (sledges B62B; motor sledges B62M) · CPC title

• B64G1/16

  Extraterrestrial cars · CPC title

• G05D1/021 Primary

  specially adapted to land vehicles · CPC title

• B62D57/021

  the ground engaging means being sequentially inflatable bags for peristaltic movement (B62D57/024 takes precedence) · CPC title

• Y10S901/01

  Mobile robot · CPC title