DynoClimber Ver. 1.0 

Recent biological findings indicate that a number of fast climbing animals (in particular the gecko and cockroach) climb in a dynamically similar manner. Despite their different morphologies, limb number, and attachment mechanisms both of these animals undulate laterally with significant in pulling forces. These findings have prompted a proposed template for dyanmic vertical climbing.   As a postdoc in the Kodlab at Penn, Dr. Clark began the construction of a dynamic vertical runner based on this model of climbing. Despite power constraints due to scaling considerations, initial results are promising. Stable climbing gaits with force and motion patterns characteristic of dynamic climbing animals have been achieved. Ongoing work includes designing a controller to maximize power drawn from the motors while avoiding detachment configurations, developing improved leg attachment mechanisms, utilizing the tail for roll stabilization, and investigating how different leg sprawl angles affect stability and performance.

Sample Publications:

"Design of a Bio-inspired Dynamical Vertical Climbing Robot", Jonathan E. Clark, Daniel I. Goldman, Pei-Chun Lin, Goran Lynch, Tao S. Chen, Haldun Komsuoglu, Robert J. Full, and Daniel E. Koditschek; Robotics: Science and Systems 2007, in press (2007)

"Toward a dynamic climbing robot", Jonathan E. Clark, Daniel I. Goldman, Tao S. Chen, Robert J. Full and Daniel E. Koditschek; CLAWAR 2006, 9th International Conference on Climbing and Walking Robots

"Dynamics of rapid vertical climbing in a cockroach reveals a template", Daniel I. Goldman, Tao S. Chen, Daniel M. Dudek and Robert J. Full; The Journal of Experimental Biology, 209, 2990-3000 (2006)

Links

University of Pennyslvania Kod*Lab DynoClimber

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