Deformable Morphing and Multivariable Stiffness in the Evolutionary Robotics

Abstract

Review Deformable Morphing and Multivariable Stiffness in the Evolutionary Robotics Huijuan Feng , Yahui Xue , Honggeng Li , Zhao Tang , Wenjin Wang , Zhenhua Wei , Guosong Zeng , Mingwu Li , and Jian S. Dai * Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Intelligent Robotics and Flexible Manufacturing Systems, Institute for Robotics, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China * Correspondence: daijs@sustech.edu.cn     Received: 8 October 2023 Accepted: 20 October 2023 Published: 24 October 2023   Abstract: This paper is to review and discuss the current state-of-the-art and future direction of the evolutionary robotics in its deformable morphing and multivariable stiffness. Structural morphing and shape morphing are the center piece of the deformable morphing and lead to the study of both reversible and irreversible deformabilities in morphing that form a basis for future evolutionary robotics. Having thoroughly reviewed the techniques, this paper reviews the science and technology in multivariable stiffness for evolutionary robotics particularly for reconfigurable evolutionary robots and their various applications. This leads to a review of dynamics with the model order reduction, and leads to a review of actuation strategy of metamorphic mechanisms that is a core of the structure of the evolutionary robotics. As such, the paper further reviews camera-based evolutionary robots with intelligent sensing, intelligent controlling and health monitoring, and then the real-time control of high-dimensional robots which cast light on tackling the evolutionary robot control, with the fault monitoring and maintenance. The paper in general presents the future prospects for the evolutionary robots in their deformable morphing and multivariable stiffness with the control of high-dimensional robots and their applications in intelligent infrastructure construction and maintenance.