The year 2014 can be considered as the robotic year as we have seen a number of robots. We have witnessed robots that can walk on the ground, fly through the air, and even float on or dive under the water. We even have observed robots hitting the surface of Mars. The common thing with all these robots or drones is that they can do just one thing. So the requirement at this point is we need robots that can do more than one of these things.
Latest study published in Bioinspiration and Biometrics has now challenged the norm. A team headed by Ludovic Daler has designed a robot that is a replica of the vampire bat and can use its wings for flight and for walking. The name assigned to the project is Deployable Air Land Exploration Robot (DALER).
The DALER Project
The DALER is being designed as a mutual project between NCCR, EPFL and LIS Robotics. The primary objective of the machine is to deal with search and rescue operations. The DALER uses a foldable actuator, which allows its wings to fold into a small space and then rotate around a pivot that attaches the wheel-legs to the body.
The design mechanism initially was quite typical as the team had to choose a primary technique of locomotion (in this case flight), and then look for a way to allow the robot to walk without adding up any extra weight. Reason being the extra weight would interfere with its primary method of movement.
The team also had to solve the problem of upholding most favorable center of mass for both flying and walking. In short, they had to make sure that after the DALER reallocated from one mode to the next one it had the accurate equilibrium for the next activity, walking or flying.
In tests, the DALER obtained maximum speeds of 20 m/s in the air and 6 cm/s second while walking.