Articles | Volume 16, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/ms-16-887-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/ms-16-887-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research on the structural design and motion characteristics of a self-reconfigurable spherical robot
College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China
Haidong Wang
College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China
Dongbin Zhang
College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China
Ran Wang
College of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, Shandong University of Science and Technology, Qingdao 266590, China
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China is one of the first countries that produced textiles in the world. It has designed and developed a variety of equipment to facilitate textile work. However, due to unclear descriptions in the records and illustrations, a variety of designs with different structures may have been produced. This paper briefly analyzes the structures of textile mechanisms and explores the degree of freedom of the mechanisms to find feasible designs in line with functional requirements.
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Mech. Sci., 13, 137–146, https://doi.org/10.5194/ms-13-137-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/ms-13-137-2022, 2022
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Short summary
We designed a shape-shifting spherical robot that overcomes terrain limitations of traditional rolling designs. It contracts to pass through narrow gaps and expands to cross obstacles. The system combines pendulum-based propulsion, rotor-assisted stabilization, and gear-actuated folding arms. Tests and simulations confirm that it maintains straight paths and adapts well to slopes, voids, and rough ground, making it ideal for search, space, or field tasks.
We designed a shape-shifting spherical robot that overcomes terrain limitations of traditional...