arXiv:2604.15907cs.RO2026-04

提出可调气动关节,让藤蔓机器人在空中实现局部刚化与形变锁定。

A Reconfigurable Pneumatic Joint Enabling Localized Selective Stiffening and Shape Locking in Vine-Inspired Robots

论文配图:A Reconfigurable Pneumatic Joint Enabling Localized Selective Stiffening and Shape Locking in Vine-Inspired Robots
图 1 · 摘自论文原文
  • 用对称气腔设计实现局部压力可调刚性,不破坏连续生长能力。
  • 实测可承重202克,弯曲时形变减少,重力下垂明显降低。
  • 适合需要抓取、探索的非受限环境任务,如物体分拣与自适应探测。

藤蔓式机器人通过尖端外翻实现大范围空间覆盖,适用于狭窄复杂环境的安全导航。然而,在自由空间中其应用受限于轴向刚度低、承载能力差以及转向后无法保持形状。本文提出可重构气动关节(RPJ)架构,在不牺牲连续生长的前提下,沿机器人本体引入离散、压力可调的刚性。每个RPJ模块包含对称分布的气腔,加压后局部增加弯曲刚性,实现全局柔性和局部刚性的解耦。将RPJ集成至腱驱动转向的软体伸长机器人,并开发紧凑型基座实现空中外翻。系统表征与实验验证表明,外翻仅需中等压力,局部刚化和转向性能与层阻塞机制相当。演示显示,该机器人在弯曲时具备更好形状保持性,负载下重力下垂减小,实现级联回缩,并可靠运输最高达202克的负载。RPJ机制为面向操作任务的结构自适应藤蔓机器人提供了实用路径,适用于物体分拣与无约束环境中的自适应探索。

原文摘要 · Abstract (English)

Vine-inspired robots achieve large workspace coverage through tip eversion, enabling safe navigation in confined and cluttered environments. However, their deployment in free space is fundamentally limited by low axial stiffness, poor load-bearing capacity, and the inability to retain shape during and after steering. In this work, we propose a reconfigurable pneumatic joint (RPJ) architecture that introduces discrete, pressure-tunable stiffness along the robot body without compromising continuous growth. Each RPJ module comprises symmetrically distributed pneumatic chambers that locally increase bending stiffness when pressurized, enabling decoupling between global compliance and localized rigidity. We integrate the RPJs into a soft growing robot with tendon-driven steering and develop a compact base station for mid-air eversion. System characterization and experimental validation demonstrate moderate pressure requirements for eversion, as well as comparable localized stiffening and steering performance to layer-jamming mechanisms. Demonstrations further show that the proposed robot achieves improved shape retention during bending, reduced gravitational deflection under load, cascading retraction, and reliable payload transport up to 202 g in free space. The RPJ mechanism establishes a practical pathway toward structurally adaptive vine robots for manipulation-oriented tasks such as object sorting and adaptive exploration in unconstrained environments.

软体机器人气动控制结构自适应柔性执行器

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