Continuum Robotic Caterpillar with Wirelessly Powered Shape Memory Alloy Actuators

Colm Mc Caffrey, Takuya Umedachi, Weiwei Jiang, Takuya Sasatani, Yoshiaki Narusue, Ryuma Niiyama, and Yoshihiro Kawahara

Abstract

Wireless power transfer (WPT) has the significant potential for soft-bodied continuum robots to extend the operational time limitlessly and reduce weight. However, rigid power receiver coils, widely used in WPT, hinder the continuum deformation of the robot, and as a result, the function realization using the continuum deformation (e.g., locomotion) is impaired. Therefore, this article introduces that a soft-bodied continuum robot can be designed by using thin film receiver coils and an inductively coupled wireless powering solution without sacrificing the continuum deformation and locomotion ability. A system is described for powering and controlling a soft robotic caterpillar consisting of nothing more than its continuum structure, actuators, and thin/flexible power receiving coils.

Soft Robotics

Published: December 2020

Volume: 7

Number: 6

Pages: 700 - 710