Special Sessions

Special session on Clinging Robots

Organizer of the session: Professor Evgenii S. Briskin
Volgograd State Technical University, Volgograd, Russia; E-mail: dtm AT vstu DOT ru

This special session is aimed at the exchange of ideas and results related to mobile robots with clinging propelling devices of various design. These devices must be adapted to the physical and mechanical properties of the environment in which they move.

Mobile robots are distinguished by various types of the propelling devices and the environmental conditions. For each environment, a specific type of the propelling device is most appropriate, which requires specific approaches to the control of the robots. The control strategy should take into account the physical characteristics of the environment (rigid or deformable underlying surface, regular or irregular shape of this surface, the motion in air or liquid medium).

The distinguishing feature of the clinging propelling devices that allows them to be combined into a single class is the fact that when operating they cling to the supporting body and hang on it. The clinging contact may be temporary or permanent, it may allow the motion with respect to some degrees of freedom or be rigid (jamming). The actuators with flexible links (cables) can operate only in the pulling mode. The robots with rigid links may either pull toward or push away from the supporting base.

You are invited to submit contributions that deal with the laws of interaction of the propelling devices with the supporting surface, control algorithms, and optimization of the design, parameters, and operating modes of the clinging robots for various environments.