Printing angle sensors for foldable robots

Self-folding is a promising technique for assembling robots from flat sheets. However, existing implementations do not include reliable methods for sensing the folding angle, making feedback control impossible. In this paper, we present novel angle sensors for foldable robots and machines. They are inkjet printed and fully integrated into robots' laminate. This additional sensor layer tracks the angle motion of robot hinges, to better guide robot assembling by folding and to perform more complicated tasks that requires feedback control, making folded robots more capable in real world applications. We introduce the fabrication process, property assessments, and demonstrate sensor performance by measuring folding angles of a cube and controlling folds on a gripper.

[1]  Hiroyuki Wakiwaka,et al.  Index phase output characteristics of magnetic rotary encoder using a magneto-resistive element , 1997 .

[2]  SunXu,et al.  Pouch Motors: Printable Soft Actuators Integrated with Computational Design , 2015 .

[3]  Peng Cheng,et al.  Joint-Angle Measurement Using Accelerometers and Gyroscopes—A Survey , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Instrumentation and Measurement.

[4]  Robert J. Wood,et al.  Self-folding and self-actuating robots: A pneumatic approach , 2015, 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).

[5]  Daniela Rus,et al.  Pouch Motors: Printable/inflatable soft actuators for robotics , 2014, 2014 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA).

[6]  R. Muller,et al.  Magnetically actuated, addressable microstructures , 1997 .

[7]  Ivan Poupyrev,et al.  Printed optics: 3D printing of embedded optical elements for interactive devices , 2012, UIST.

[8]  Samuel M. Felton,et al.  A method for building self-folding machines , 2014, Science.

[9]  Robert J. Wood,et al.  Stretchable circuits and sensors for robotic origami , 2011, 2011 IEEE/RSJ International Conference on Intelligent Robots and Systems.

[10]  Gregory D. Abowd,et al.  Instant inkjet circuits: lab-based inkjet printing to support rapid prototyping of UbiComp devices , 2013, UbiComp.

[11]  Robert J. Wood,et al.  Robot self-assembly by folding: A printed inchworm robot , 2013, 2013 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[12]  H Tanaka,et al.  Programmable matter by folding , 2010, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

[13]  Sue Whitesides,et al.  Magnetic self-assembly of three-dimensional surfaces from planar sheets. , 2005, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.

[14]  Ronald S. Fearing,et al.  Fast scale prototyping for folded millirobots , 2008, 2008 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[15]  M. Dickey,et al.  Self-folding of polymer sheets using local light absorption , 2012 .

[16]  G. Whitesides,et al.  Paper-based piezoresistive MEMS sensors. , 2011, Lab on a chip.

[17]  L. J. Lee,et al.  Self-folding of three-dimensional hydrogel microstructures. , 2005, The journal of physical chemistry. B.

[18]  H. Wakiwaka,et al.  Study on high accuracy optical encoder with 30 bits , 2004, The 8th IEEE International Workshop on Advanced Motion Control, 2004. AMC '04..

[19]  Cheng-Wei Lin,et al.  Pencil Drawn Strain Gauges and Chemiresistors on Paper , 2014, Scientific Reports.

[20]  J. Lewis,et al.  3D Printing of Interdigitated Li‐Ion Microbattery Architectures , 2013, Advanced materials.

[21]  Robert J. Wood,et al.  Origami-Inspired Printed Robots , 2015, IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

[22]  H. Sirringhaus,et al.  High-Resolution Ink-Jet Printing of All-Polymer Transistor Circuits , 2000, Science.