Design of SUPERball v2, a Compliant Tensegrity Robot for Absorbing Large Impacts

Abstract

In this paper, we present the system design and initial testing of SUPERball v2, a completely re-designed 2-meter spherical six-bar tensegrity robot designed to survive high-speed landings as well as locomote to desired locations. SUPERball v2 was designed to enable a host of new actuation and experimentation. The prototype features a fully actuated six-bar design (24 actuators), compliant nylon cables (up to 15% stretch), torque-control enabled motors, and a robust mechanical structure capable of surviving impact velocities upwards of 8 m/s.