• CN: 11-2187/TH
  • ISSN: 0577-6686

Journal of Mechanical Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (1): 101-113.doi: 10.3901/JME.2025.01.101

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Design and Motion Analysis of Flipping Robot Based on Yoshimura Origami Structure

TAN Kangning1,2, ZHANG Qiwei3,4, HE Zihan3, MEI Dong1,2, TANG Gangqiang1,2, FANG Hongbin3,4, WANG Yanjie1,2   

  1. 1. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou 213022;
    2. Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Special Robotics Technology, Hohai University, Changzhou 213022;
    3. Institute of AI and Robotics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433;
    4. Yiwu Research Institute, Fudan University, Yiwu 322000
  • Received:2024-06-28 Revised:2024-09-02 Published:2025-02-26

Abstract: With the advantages of excellent deformation ability and easy assembly, origami structure has a wide application prospect in soft robot design. Based on the excellent bending and deformability of Yoshimura origami structure, a multi-degree of freedom flipping soft robot is proposed. Firstly, a pneumatic origami actuator composed of the pneumatic muscle and the Yoshimura origami structure is designed, and the number of the pneumatic muscle segments is optimized by analyzing the bending performance of the actuator. Then, based on the design concept of modularization and integration, a prototype of the flipping robot composed of double pneumatic origami cells is built. The kinematic model of the robot is established, and the trajectory planning theory of the flipping robot in two-dimensional plane coordinate system is proposed. The four kinds of periodic gaits of straight, side, arch and mouth, and the interpolation trajectory of straight line and arc are analyzed. Finally, the experimental test results show that the robot has good motion performance, and successfully verified four basic motion gaits and trajectory interpolation motions in the horizontal plane. The maximum speed of the robot can reach 77.19 mm /s, and it can realize one-way flipping and climbing on the 30° slope surface, and has the ability of discontinuous and transitional surface motion.

Key words: origami structure, pneumatic muscle, flipping robot, motion analysis

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