Analysis for Feasibility of the Method for Bars Driving the Ball Tensegrity Robot

Abstract

In tensegrity robots, the ball tensegrity robot attracts the most attention. The method of driving the ball tensegrity robot is analyzed here. At first, the ball tensegrity structure is described, and its mathematical model is setup. Through analysis, the method for driving bars to make the robot deform and roll is selected. A method for analyzing the deformation of the tensegrity robot is studied. In the method, the nodes are regarded as the objects and displacement increment of the nodes is the product of displacement mode of the robot structure and unbalanced forces on the nodes. The method is applied to analyze deformation of the robot driven by the bars. The methods of driving the robot on two ground-touching triangles are studied. Then, through experiments with the physical model, the methods are verified. A continuous movement of the model is done further to prove the correctness of the analysis. The method for driving bars to make the ball tensegrity robot deform and roll is obtained finally.