SCALER: Versatile Multi-Limbed Robot for Free-Climbing in Extreme Terrains

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: Tanaka, Yusuke, Shirai, Yuki, Schperberg, Alexander, Lin, Xuan, Hong, Dennis
Format: Preprint
Published: 2023
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author Tanaka, Yusuke
Shirai, Yuki
Schperberg, Alexander
Lin, Xuan
Hong, Dennis
author_facet Tanaka, Yusuke
Shirai, Yuki
Schperberg, Alexander
Lin, Xuan
Hong, Dennis
contents This paper presents SCALER, a versatile free-climbing multi-limbed robot that is designed to achieve tightly coupled simultaneous locomotion and dexterous grasping. While existing quadrupedal-limbed robots have demonstrated impressive dexterous capabilities, achieving a balance between power-demanding locomotion and precise grasping remains a critical challenge. We design a torso mechanism and a parallel-serial limb to meet the conflicting requirements that pose unique challenges in hardware design. SCALER employs underactuated two-fingered GOAT grippers that can mechanically adapt and offer seven modes of grasping, enabling SCALER to traverse extreme terrains with multi-modal grasping strategies. We study the whole-body approach, where SCALER utilizes its body and limbs to generate additional forces for stable grasping in various environments, thereby further enhancing its versatility. Furthermore, we improve the GOAT gripper actuation speed to realize more dynamic climbing in a closed-loop control fashion. With these proposed technologies, SCALER can traverse vertical, overhanging, upside-down, slippery terrains and bouldering walls with non-convex-shaped climbing holds under the Earth's gravity.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2312_04856
institution arXiv
publishDate 2023
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle SCALER: Versatile Multi-Limbed Robot for Free-Climbing in Extreme Terrains
Tanaka, Yusuke
Shirai, Yuki
Schperberg, Alexander
Lin, Xuan
Hong, Dennis
Robotics
This paper presents SCALER, a versatile free-climbing multi-limbed robot that is designed to achieve tightly coupled simultaneous locomotion and dexterous grasping. While existing quadrupedal-limbed robots have demonstrated impressive dexterous capabilities, achieving a balance between power-demanding locomotion and precise grasping remains a critical challenge. We design a torso mechanism and a parallel-serial limb to meet the conflicting requirements that pose unique challenges in hardware design. SCALER employs underactuated two-fingered GOAT grippers that can mechanically adapt and offer seven modes of grasping, enabling SCALER to traverse extreme terrains with multi-modal grasping strategies. We study the whole-body approach, where SCALER utilizes its body and limbs to generate additional forces for stable grasping in various environments, thereby further enhancing its versatility. Furthermore, we improve the GOAT gripper actuation speed to realize more dynamic climbing in a closed-loop control fashion. With these proposed technologies, SCALER can traverse vertical, overhanging, upside-down, slippery terrains and bouldering walls with non-convex-shaped climbing holds under the Earth's gravity.
title SCALER: Versatile Multi-Limbed Robot for Free-Climbing in Extreme Terrains
topic Robotics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.04856