Using Different Adhesion Technologies in Modular Robot for Climbing

Climbing locomotion is dealing with friction and the generation of motion. A current challenge is the transfer into robotics. A modular climbing robot system is introduced, capable to climbing on different substrates. Different locking modules have been developed. Therefore, the overlap of current climbing robots and the properties of modular robot system have been identified. A finger gripper, a magnetic gripper, and a vacuum gripper are designed under two foci. On the one hand there are requirements educed from the modular system, e.g. energy supply, mechanical connection as well as communication. On the other hand, torques and forces have to be transferred during the locking process. Three different kinds of locking modules are presented.