Kavli Affiliate: Morteza Gharib
| First 5 Authors: Ioannis Mandralis, Reza Nemovi, Alireza Ramezani, Richard M. Murray, Morteza Gharib
| Summary:
Designing ground-aerial robots is challenging due to the increased actuation
requirements which can lead to added weight and reduced locomotion efficiency.
Morphobots mitigate this by combining actuators into multi-functional groups
and leveraging ground transformation to achieve different locomotion modes.
However, transforming on the ground requires dealing with the complexity of
ground-vehicle interactions during morphing, limiting applicability on rough
terrain. Mid-air transformation offers a solution to this issue but demands
operating near or beyond actuator limits while managing complex aerodynamic
forces. We address this problem by introducing the Aerially Transforming
Morphobot (ATMO), a robot which transforms near the ground achieving smooth
transition between aerial and ground modes. To achieve this, we leverage the
near ground aerodynamics, uncovered by experimental load cell testing, and
stabilize the system using a model-predictive controller that adapts to ground
proximity and body shape. The system is validated through numerous experimental
demonstrations. We find that ATMO can land smoothly at body postures past its
actuator saturation limits by virtue of the uncovered ground-effect.
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