Interactive Control for Soft Quadruped Robots in Disaster Response
Abstract: Soft robots can adapt to dynamic environments where traditional rigid robots fall short. Existing
soft quadruped robots lack effective remote control capabilities and often struggle with
maintaining stable locomotion over long distances, limiting their practical application in
real-world scenarios. This research addresses the challenges by improving the controllability and
reliability of soft quadruped robots for use in search and rescue operations.
Building upon previous work introduced in “A Framework for Soft Mechanism Driven Robots,”
I developed the Soft Adaptive Field Explorer (SAFE), an untethered soft quadruped robot
equipped with a control interface and sensor integration. A user-controlled web-based interface
allows operators to interact with and control SAFE remotely. Integration of sensors such as
cameras, inertial measurement units, and absolute rotary encoders to optimize gait performance
through closed-loop feedback control.
This research demonstrates that incorporating the web-based interface and sensor feedback
improves the robot's stability and navigational accuracy. By improving the adaptability and
controllability of soft quadruped robots, this work bridges the gap between current soft robot
capabilities and potential requirements for use in disaster response applications.
Advisor: Professor Markus Nemitz
Committee: Professor Berk Calli, Professor Carlo Pinciroli, Professor Markus Nemitz
Zoom Link: https://wpi.zoom.us/j/97821636226