A starfish inspired robot with multi-directional tube feet locomotion

Abstract

A starfish inspired robot is a modular soft robot driven by a pneumatic artificial muscle. Each locomotion module has multiple suction cups attached at both ends to mimic the tube feet of a starfish. By contracting and expanding the artificial muscle together with the actuation of the suction cup, each module can move forward and backward in a basic inchworm gait on a flat ground. The `Quadstar' quadrupedal robot comprises of four tube feet locomotion modules. The robot can move in multiple directions depends on the combination of movement from its locomotion modules. Different locomotion gaits were designed and tested on the robot.