Articulable inverting and everting robotic limbs
AssigneesMassachusetts Institute of Technology, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
InventorsKentaro Barhydt, Obumneme Godson Osele, Allison Okamura, Haruhiko Harry Asada
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Abstract
Segmented flexible robotic limbs with low bending stiffnesses and high compressive stiffnesses are disclosed. The 2024/206829 disclosed flexible robotic limbs may include inverting/everting flexible inflatable structures that include a plurality of serially arranged interconnected chambers that include connections between adjacent interconnected chambers. The connections fluidly coupling adjacent interconnected chambers may have smaller transverse cross sectional areas perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the robotic limb than the adjacent interconnected chambers in the inflated configuration.
Claims20
A flexible robotic limb comprising:
- a flexible inflatable structure configured to form a plurality of interconnected chambers arranged in series when inflated, wherein a maximum transverse dimension of one or more connections between adjacent interconnected chambers of the plurality of interconnected chambers is less than a maximum transverse dimension of the adjacent interconnected chambers when the flexible inflatable structure is inflated;
- and
- a tether configured to bias a distal end portion of the inflatable structure to a collapsed configuration.
A method for operating a flexible robotic limb comprising:
- inflating a flexible structure, wherein the inflatable structure includes a plurality of interconnected chambers arranged in series, wherein a maximum transverse dimension of one or more connections between adjacent interconnected chambers of the plurality of interconnected chambers is less than a maximum transverse dimension of the adjacent interconnected chambers when the flexible inflatable structure is inflated;
- and
- applying a proximally directed force to a distal end portion of the inflatable structure using a tether.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.