The purpose of this project is to present the completed, working platform of Spherical Tensegrity Robotics Mechanisms in locomotion. Though the desired highly-dynamic locomotion is not demonstrated, Spherical Tensegrity Robotics Mechanisms is shown to be uniquely suitable for the task. This is with the sufficient sensing for state estimation will be combined with a (limited) feedback controller on an untethered spherical tensegrity robot, and the first time that such a system has demonstrated simple locomotion.

The Dynamic Tensegrity for the robotic manipulator is the main goal for this project. So we will study multiple tensegrity morphologies and control strategies for robotics exploration. The primary goal concept envisions a tensegrity robot with a controllable tension network, which allows the robot to be tightly stowed for launch and then unpacked for landing. During landing the robot will act much like an airbag and absorb impact forces by diffusing them through the tensile network, protecting a science payload. The robot will then transport the payload on the floor body, with the added benefit that the payload remains protected.

The purpose of this project is to present a new teleoperated spherical tensegrity robot capable of performing locomotion. With a novel control scheme centered around the simultaneous actuation of multiple cables, the robot demonstrates robust climbing on inclined surfaces in hardware experiments and speeds significantly faster than previous spherical tensegrity models. We will analyze locomotion in simulation and hardware under single and multicable actuation, and introduce novel multi-cable actuation control policies.

Tensegrity robots are composed of rigid rods connected by elastic cables, and their unique light-weight yet compliant structure makes them an appealing choice for space exploration. We will demonstrate that in the domain of tensegrity robotics, it is possible to efficiently learn end-to-end locomotion policies with limited sensory inputs.

Soft spherical tensegrity robots are novel steerable mobile robotic platforms that are compliant, lightweight, and robust. The geometry of these robots is suitable for rolling locomotion, and they achieve this motion by properly deforming their structures using carefully chosen actuation strategies. The objective of this work is to consolidate and add to our research to date on methods for realizing rolling locomotion of spherical tensegrity robots. To predict the deformation of tensegrity structures when their member forces are varied, we introduce a modified version of the dynamic relaxation technique and apply it to our tensegrity robots.

Soft spherical tensegrity robots are novel steerable mobile robotic platforms that are compliant, lightweight, and robust. The geometry of these robots is suitable for rolling locomotion, and they achieve this motion by properly deforming their structures using carefully chosen actuation strategies. The objective of this project is to consolidate and add to our research to date on methods for realizing rolling locomotion of spherical tensegrity robots. To predict the deformation of tensegrity structures when their member forces are varied, we will introduce a modified version of the dynamic relaxation technique and apply it to our tensegrity robots. In addition, we will present two techniques to find desirable deformations and actuation strategies that would result in robust rolling locomotion of the robots. The first one relies on the greedy search that can quickly find solutions, and the second one uses a multigeneration Monte Carlo method that can find sub optimal solutions with a higher quality. The methods will be validated both in simulation and with hardware robots, which show that our methods are viable means of realizing robust and steerable rolling locomotion of spherical tensegrity robots.

The purpose of this project is to focus on the wireless communication to implement a feedback control on the Tensegrity robot, we will work with a team into a Spherical Tensegrity Robotics Mechanisms in locomotion. Though the desired highly-dynamic locomotion is not demonstrated, Spherical Tensegrity Robotics Mechanisms is shown to be uniquely suitable for the task. This is with the sufficient sensing for state estimation will be combined with a (limited) feedback controller on an untethered spherical tensegrity robot, and the first time that such a system has demonstrated simple locomotion.