Design of Origami-Inspired Climbing Robot and Dexterous Robotic Manipulator

<p dir="ltr">The Japanese art of origami provides a framework to design and fabricate mechanical structures with unique properties that can be harnessed to constrain motion, reduce actuators, and mimic human locomotion. These properties are incredibly applicable to robot design, increasing the capabilities of robotic movement and manipulation relative to the cost. Utilizing origami structures, an omnidirectional locomotive climbing robot was developed to navigate complex three-dimensional (3D) spaces. The robot consists of a central body and two end effectors attached at either end. It’s intended to mimic how humans use their hands and feet for grip while simultaneously adjusting their body position to facilitate movement. The central body of the robot employs a bellows fold pattern that can be extended, contracted, and bent in order to position the end effectors at a desired location. The end effectors are constructed from a Miura-ori pattern that can grasp objects of varying diameters. The patterns are actuated with a tether and spool mechanism that is utilized to autonomously drive movement throughout the entire robot. Experiments were conducted with the climbing robot on various structures in order to validate the applicability of the design to real-world scenarios. An additional origami-inspired robotic manipulator design was also created in order to address the challenges of dexterous manipulation. The manipulator is designed to mimic the motion of a human finger, with the ability to conform to oddly-shaped objects. The finger is based off the waterbomb tesselation, which allows for human finger-like motion with only a single actuator. The tesselation is linkage-driven by a single motor, reducing the number of actuators relative to comparable designs. Both the climbing robot and the dexterous manipulator are manufactured using 3D printing, including multi-material hybrid prints with rigid panels and flexible folds.</p>