Design, Modeling, Control, and Application of Everting Vine Robots
In nature, tip-localized growth allows navigation in tightly confined environments and creation of structures. Recently, this form of movement has been artificially realized through pressure-driven eversion of flexible, thin-walled tubes. Here we review recent work on robots that “grow” via pressure...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2020-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Robotics and AI |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2020.548266/full |
| _version_ | 1828812620418777088 |
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| author | Laura H. Blumenschein Margaret M. Coad David A. Haggerty Allison M. Okamura Elliot W. Hawkes |
| author_facet | Laura H. Blumenschein Margaret M. Coad David A. Haggerty Allison M. Okamura Elliot W. Hawkes |
| author_sort | Laura H. Blumenschein |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | In nature, tip-localized growth allows navigation in tightly confined environments and creation of structures. Recently, this form of movement has been artificially realized through pressure-driven eversion of flexible, thin-walled tubes. Here we review recent work on robots that “grow” via pressure-driven eversion, referred to as “everting vine robots,” due to a movement pattern that is similar to that of natural vines. We break this work into four categories. First, we examine the design of everting vine robots, highlighting tradeoffs in material selection, actuation methods, and placement of sensors and tools. These tradeoffs have led to application-specific implementations. Second, we describe the state of and need for modeling everting vine robots. Quasi-static models of growth and retraction and kinematic and force-balance models of steering and environment interaction have been developed that use simplifying assumptions and limit the involved degrees of freedom. Third, we report on everting vine robot control and planning techniques that have been developed to move the robot tip to a target, using a variety of modalities to provide reference inputs to the robot. Fourth, we highlight the benefits and challenges of using this paradigm of movement for various applications. Everting vine robot applications to date include deploying and reconfiguring structures, navigating confined spaces, and applying forces on the environment. We conclude by identifying gaps in the state of the art and discussing opportunities for future research to advance everting vine robots and their usefulness in the field. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:45:59Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a834ecda2e4a4a7591484c1146f2ecee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T09:45:59Z |
| publishDate | 2020-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Robotics and AI |
| spelling | doaj.art-a834ecda2e4a4a7591484c1146f2ecee2022-12-22T00:28:23ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Robotics and AI2296-91442020-11-01710.3389/frobt.2020.548266548266Design, Modeling, Control, and Application of Everting Vine RobotsLaura H. Blumenschein0Margaret M. Coad1David A. Haggerty2Allison M. Okamura3Elliot W. Hawkes4Mechanical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United StatesMechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United StatesMechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United StatesMechanical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United StatesMechanical Engineering, University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA, United StatesIn nature, tip-localized growth allows navigation in tightly confined environments and creation of structures. Recently, this form of movement has been artificially realized through pressure-driven eversion of flexible, thin-walled tubes. Here we review recent work on robots that “grow” via pressure-driven eversion, referred to as “everting vine robots,” due to a movement pattern that is similar to that of natural vines. We break this work into four categories. First, we examine the design of everting vine robots, highlighting tradeoffs in material selection, actuation methods, and placement of sensors and tools. These tradeoffs have led to application-specific implementations. Second, we describe the state of and need for modeling everting vine robots. Quasi-static models of growth and retraction and kinematic and force-balance models of steering and environment interaction have been developed that use simplifying assumptions and limit the involved degrees of freedom. Third, we report on everting vine robot control and planning techniques that have been developed to move the robot tip to a target, using a variety of modalities to provide reference inputs to the robot. Fourth, we highlight the benefits and challenges of using this paradigm of movement for various applications. Everting vine robot applications to date include deploying and reconfiguring structures, navigating confined spaces, and applying forces on the environment. We conclude by identifying gaps in the state of the art and discussing opportunities for future research to advance everting vine robots and their usefulness in the field.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2020.548266/fulltip-extending robotsoft robotsoft actuatormechanism designcontinuum roboteverting robot |
| spellingShingle | Laura H. Blumenschein Margaret M. Coad David A. Haggerty Allison M. Okamura Elliot W. Hawkes Design, Modeling, Control, and Application of Everting Vine Robots Frontiers in Robotics and AI tip-extending robot soft robot soft actuator mechanism design continuum robot everting robot |
| title | Design, Modeling, Control, and Application of Everting Vine Robots |
| title_full | Design, Modeling, Control, and Application of Everting Vine Robots |
| title_fullStr | Design, Modeling, Control, and Application of Everting Vine Robots |
| title_full_unstemmed | Design, Modeling, Control, and Application of Everting Vine Robots |
| title_short | Design, Modeling, Control, and Application of Everting Vine Robots |
| title_sort | design modeling control and application of everting vine robots |
| topic | tip-extending robot soft robot soft actuator mechanism design continuum robot everting robot |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frobt.2020.548266/full |
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