A Fast Steerable Soft Robot for Navigating a Pipe Network

Soft vibrational bristlebots are robots with deformable bristles on their outside that propel the robot through the stick slip motion of the bristle tips interacting with the ground when a vibration is induced in the robot. Experimental results and theoretical analysis of the dynamics for this style of robot have been investigated on flat surfaces. However, for the soft vibrational bristlebots traveling through pipes, controlled steering and the ability for the robot to navigate intersections has not been achieved or understood. This paper presents a two unit vibrational bristlebot with connecting helical coils. Through models and experiments it is demonstrated that a full range of controlled motion (traveling forwards, turning left and right and going up or down a vertical pipe) within a pipe network is possible for such soft vibrational bristlebots. Such fast steerable motion is all achieved merely by changing the polarity and spin speed of the vibrational motors.