HEXEL modules snap together for a large-stroke muscle and a multi-modal array. (Image: MPI-IS / Wolfram Scheible)

Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems (MPI-IS) have developed hexagon-shaped robotic components, called modules, that can be snapped together LEGO-style into high-speed robots that can be rearranged for different capabilities. The team of researchers from the Robotic Materials Department at MPI-IS, led by Christoph Keplinger, integrated artificial muscles into hexagonal exoskeletons that are embedded with magnets, allowing for quick mechanical and electrical connections. The team’s work, “Hexagonal electrohydraulic modules for rapidly reconfigurable high-speed robots” was published in Science Robotics on September 18, 2024.

Six lightweight rigid plates made from glass fiber serve as the exoskeleton of each HEXEL module. The inner joints of the hexagons are driven by hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) artificial muscles. Applying a high voltage to the module causes the muscle to activate, rotating the joints of the hexagon and changing its shape from long and narrow to wide and flat.

“Combining soft and rigid components in this way enables high strokes and high speeds. By connecting several modules, we can create new robot geometries and repurpose them for changing needs”, said Ellen Rumley, a visiting researcher from the University of Colorado Boulder. She and Zachary Yoder, who are both Ph.D. students working in the Robotic Materials Department, are co-first authors of the publication.

In a video  , the team shows the many behaviors that can be created with HEXEL modules. A group of modules crawls through a narrow gap, while a single module actuates so fast that it can leap into the air. Multiple modules are connected into larger structures that produce different motions depending on how the modules are attached. For instance, the team combined several modules into a robot that rapidly rolls.

“In general, it makes a lot of sense to develop robots with reconfigurable capabilities. It’s a sustainable design option — instead of buying five different robots for five different purposes, we can build many different robots by using the same components. Robots made from reconfigurable modules could be rearranged on demand to provide more versatility than specialized systems, which could be beneficial in resource-limited environments, such as on space or rescue missions, '' Yoder said.

Source 

Topics:
Design Industrial Design and Human Factors Manufacturing & Prototyping Materials Mechanical Components Metals Motion Control Polymers Product Development Robotics

More From SAE Media Group

    Transcript

    00:00:16 [Music] [Music] we present hexel a reconfigurable module driven by Soft electr Hydraulics which exhibits fast multimodal actuation and contractile strains approaching 50% thanks to a hybrid soft rigid design soft actuators sit inside an exoskeleton of plates applying a high voltage to the actuators causes the

    00:01:00 hexel to transform from a tall narrow prism to one that's wide and [Music] flat hexel are capable of jumping four times their own body height and can use multimodal actuation to crawl through confined spaces the plates of hexel offer a workspace for hosting other components we embed magnets into the plates for

    00:01:21 example which serves as both a mechanical connection and a shared electrical ground between neighboring modules while high voltages of each module can be connected by leads in the back chains of modules can be rapidly connected and can operate from one voltage source and the process of detaching modules is also easy and

    00:01:41 [Music] fast independent voltage control of modules is also possible depending on your arrangement of voltage Leads Here We show multimodal robots controlling end defectors Beyond connecting modules we used magnets to connect other accessories to hexel like semi- wheels for reconfiguring modules into a rolling

    00:02:09 robot shown here is a demonstration of the roller moving across flat surfaces as well as Sandy surfaces lastly we designed a fully untethered Snap-on driving Electronics module called Snap Supply which can power the motion of a single hexel for up to 40 minutes we can power multiple modules this way to create fully untethered robotic systems