BILL-Ant Series Robots
The Biologically-Inspired Legged Locomotion Ant (BILL-Ant) is an 18-DOF hexapod with six passive DOF feet for force sensing, a 3-DOF neck and actuated mandibles with force sensing pincer plates (28-DOF total). The robot uses force sensors in the feet and pincers to actively comply with its environment and respond to external pertubations.
The prototype (BILL-Ant-p), shown below, was designed and constructed by William Lewinger for his M.S. degree in the Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department.
BILL-Ant-p is power autonomous and will soon be control autonomous. Using hobby servo motors for joints, it weighs approximately 6.27lbs (2.85kg) and can lift itself and an additional 7.0lbs (3.18kg) of payload while walking. While standing still it can support a 19.0lb (8.64kg) payload. Battery capacity allows for approximately 36min of normal operation or 25min of heavy lifting.
Future work will allow multiple BILL-Ant robots to independently navagate terrain and locate objects, then collaboratively carry individual objects as a team.
BILL-Ant-p Images:
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BILL-Ant-p full robot
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Head and mandibles closeup
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Acromyrmex versicolor (left, (c)Dale Ward) and BILL-Ant-p body parts (right)
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Pheidole fervida (left, (c)Japanese Ant Database Group) and the BILL-Ant-p robot (right)
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Front left leg with labels
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BILL-Ant-p Movies:
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First steps. Before internal batteries and feet were added
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Standing routine
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Standing weight test after 15min of testing. Final payload weight for this test was 16.0lb (7.27kg)
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Walking with 7.0lb (3.18kg) of payload after 20min of weight testing
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Initial foot-mounted force sensor body motion compliance test
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Initial pincer-mounted force sensor neck/body motion compliance test
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Publications:
- Lewinger, W.A. (2005) "Insect-Inspired, Actively Compliant Robotic Hexapod," M.S. Thesis, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, USA. May 2005.
- Lewinger, W.A., Branicky, M.S., Quinn, R.D. (2005) "Insect-Inspired, Actively Compliant Robotic Hexapod," International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots (CLAWAR), London, U.K., Sept. 13-15, 2005.
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