Xia Deli, Zhang Luying, Nong Weihang, Duan Qingshan, Ding Jiang
Guangxi Key Laboratory of Manufacturing System and Advanced Manufacturing Technology, School of Mechanical Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
School of Light Industry and Food Engineering, Guangxi University, Nanning 530004, China.
Biomimetics (Basel). 2025 Mar 26;10(4):202. doi: 10.3390/biomimetics10040202.
Based on soft body structure and unique gait of bending and stretching, Soft Bionic Inchworm Robots (SBIRs) are used in pipeline inspection and terrain exploration. Many existing SBIRs rely on complex production mechanisms and are cable-driven, which hinders rapid production and smooth movement through complex environments, respectively. To address these challenges, this paper introduces a 3D-printed SBIR, featuring a 3D-printed body actuated by magnetic forces. We introduce the design and production process of the 3D-SBIR and analyze its motion gait. Subsequently, the material composition model and bending deformation model of the robot are developed based on the theory of hyper-elastic materials. The accuracy of the model is validated using simulation analysis and experimental testing of the robot. Meanwhile, we carry out a magnetic simulation analysis and discuss the factors influencing the size of the magnetic force. Finally, a series of experiments are conducted to prove the excellent locomotion capability of the robot. The 3D-SBIR demonstrates remarkable flexibility and multimodal movement capabilities. It can navigate through narrow curved passages with ease, passively overcome obstacles, climb steps up to 0.8 times its body height, and perform a seamless transition while moving across a horizontal plane onto a vertical plane. The 3D-SBIR proposed in this paper is characterized by rapid production, cable-free actuation, and multimodal motion capabilities, making it well suited for moving in unstructured environments.
基于软体结构和独特的弯曲伸展步态，软体仿生尺蠖机器人（SBIRs）被用于管道检测和地形探测。许多现有的SBIRs依赖复杂的生产机制且由电缆驱动，这分别阻碍了快速生产以及在复杂环境中的顺畅移动。为应对这些挑战，本文介绍了一种3D打印的SBIR，其特点是3D打印的主体由磁力驱动。我们介绍了3D-SBIR的设计和生产过程，并分析了其运动步态。随后，基于超弹性材料理论建立了机器人的材料组成模型和弯曲变形模型。通过对机器人的仿真分析和实验测试验证了模型的准确性。同时，我们进行了磁场仿真分析并讨论了影响磁力大小的因素。最后，进行了一系列实验以证明机器人出色的运动能力。3D-SBIR展示出了卓越的灵活性和多模态运动能力。它能够轻松地在狭窄的弯曲通道中导航，被动地克服障碍物，爬上高达其身体高度0.8倍的台阶，并在从水平面移动到垂直平面时实现无缝过渡。本文提出的3D-SBIR具有快速生产、无电缆驱动和多模态运动能力的特点，非常适合在非结构化环境中移动。
