Design and fabrication of a two degree-of-freedom hopping robot with parallel architecture using linear Lorentz-force actuators

• Main Author: Hummel, Robert A. (Robert Andrew)
• Other Authors: Ian W Hunter.
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2010
• Subjects: Mechanical Engineering.
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/54477

Thesis (S.B.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, 2009. === Cataloged from PDF version of thesis. === Includes bibliographical references (p. 38). === This thesis presents the design and fabrication of a 2-DOF robotic leg using linear Lorentz-force actuators arranged in a parallel configuration. The decision to use linear actuators, a parallel architecture, and Lorentz-force motors was made because of distinct differences between these designs and the alternatives, notably, their lower weight, better resolution, and high bandwidth. We have shown that a robot of this construction can jump at least three times as high as the stroke length of its actuators, recording a maximum jump height of 48 mm using a stroke of 15 mm. This finding supports the feasibility of a larger robot based on this design. === by Robert A. Hummel. === S.B.