• Datum: 2024-06-28 13:02:44
• Firma: INESC TEC
• Ansprechpartner: Mrs Maria Lopes
• E-Mail: maria.s.lopes@inesctec.pt
• Anschrift: R. Dr. Roberto Frias, 4200-465 Porto
• Telefon: 22 209 4000
• Land: Portugal
• Awareness:
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In recent years, quadruped robots have aroused a lot of interest in the scientific community due to their versatility in navigating different terrains. They have been particularly used in surveillance, inspection and search and rescue applications. For these tasks, it is not necessary to have great manipulation skills, but if precise interaction with objects is required, quadruped robots are not the best option. Thats why we decided to develop a robotic arm with a modular structure, designed specifically to be attached to quadruped robots in order to make them able to interact with objects and expand the range of tasks in which they can be applied, such as agricultural and industrial solutions.

Currently, there are already commercially available models of robotic arms that can be used for this purpose, however, most of them, because they are not specifically designed for this purpose, do not attempt to reduce the total weight of the arm and maintain the load capacity that it can support (for example, the ViperX 300 arm which weighs 3.6 kg and has a load capacity of 0.75 kg). Most manipulators that can support acceptable load capacities for these applications are also quite heavy for the robot in question, which can cause instability in locomotion and loss of balance for the quadruped. In addition, the cost of a customized arm to take these aspects into account is also quite high (the example mentioned costs around 5700 €).

For the reasons mentioned above, the arm developed has a modular structure, allowing different tools to be inserted depending on the task to be carried out and making it easy to assemble and replace any component if necessary. Our solution weighs approximately 3 kg, without any tools attached, and uses three igus joints and aluminum parts to connect them together. The structure can support 2.5 kg. In this way, the robotic arm is more efficient than the for-sale options we found and also cost less, at no more than €2,500. In addition, all the software for controlling the system was developed using the ROS framework, making it possible to interact with the system in real time and test algorithms previously using the simulator developed.

Fully integrated ReBeL transmission system

Estimated cost savings of €2500

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