Design and Development of Hexapod using Nitinol Actuator Wire
Asadullah Rahu, Pirya Devi, Bushra Shaikh, Ameet KN Maheshwari, Abdullah Qazi
Journal of Data Processing , Vol. 6, No. 3, 2016.
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Abstract:
Hexapod robots have attracted considerable attention for several decades. Many studies have been carried out in research centers, universities and industries. This project involves the construction and working of small scale Hexapod robot. The Hexapod robot is a small, inexpensive, six-legged robot that is intended to replace huge and heavy robotic systems, containing solenoids and servo motors. The first phase of the project involves the design and construction of the structure of Hexapod. Plastic was used for the construction of body and a Nitinol actuator wire was used to drive the Hexapodâ€™s legs. Nitinol actuator wire acts as a muscle for each of the legs, providing a means of walking for the robot. With its unique ability to contract on demand, Muscle Wire (or more generically, shape memory actuator wire) presents many intriguing possibilities for robotics. The final phase involves the Hexapod interfacing with Arduino to achieve the proper locomotion of the Hexapod. In particular, the proposed design procedure takes into account the main features, such as mechanical structure and leg configuration, actuating and driving systems, payload, motion conditions, and walking gait. It was found that compact, and lightweight Hexapod robot shows promise for use in space, medical, and other macro-robotic applications.