Using modern physics to improve robot locomotion in complex terrain
Abstract
In collective behaviors, the dynamic coupling of individuals is central to phenomena such as synchronization and pattern formation. Such coupling can be achieved through direct interaction such as the local alignment of birds in a flock. In addition to direct contact, interactions among individuals can also be mediated through a responsive substrate beneath the active particles. Examples include the synchronization of the paces of pedestrians on a bridge or orientation clustering in bacteria colonies through fluidic interaction. Most previous studies probed these interactions by passively observing the motion of particles. However, with the help of robophysics, we will be able to control maneuvers actively and record the interaction. In this seedling, we will use ideas, tools and concepts from modern physics (e.g. general relativity, GR and quantum mechanics, QM) to study examples of both indirect and direct coupling. The first example concerns the substrate-mediated interaction between self-propelling objects. When an autonomous robot car drives on an elastic membrane, the substrate deforms in response to the movement of the car, and communicates these disturbances through propagating deformations, in analogy to WheelerÕs aphorism Òspacetime tells matter how to move; matter tells spacetime how to curveÓ. We have discovered that the dynamics of a car orbiting a central immovable depression display analogies with GR (e.g. precessing orbits that follow the Schwarzschild precession relation), allowing us to use the framework to aid interpretation of the dynamics. We will use to extend our studies to the two (and ultimately N) body interactions of the robots, enabling insights into collective dynamics. The second example investigates interaction through direct contact. We have discovered that collisions between undulatory snake-like robots and rigid objects mimic aspects of the matter-wave duality of subatomic particles studied in QM. For example, such robots display a robotic Òuncertainty principleÓ such that as the spacing between obstacles (arrays of posts) decreases, the robot scatters (ÒdiffractsÓ) to larger angles. We will seek to extend this analogy to more complex situations to discover what (if any) aspects of quantum phenomena can be useful in interpreting and controlling such robots. For example, we will equip the head of the robotic snake with contact sensing capabilities and adapt its behavior based on anticipation of its scattering to allow us to alter the outcome of the robot-post interactions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Feb 14, 2019
- Source ID
- W911NF1910056
Entities
People
- Daniel Goldman
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- Georgia Tech Research Corporation
- United States Army