Flexible sliding actuator using a flat tube and its application to the rescue operation
This paper proposes a novel flexible sliding actuator driven by fluid power. The actuator called Λ -drive is basically composed of a flat tube and a slider. In the slider the tube is bent, then the buckling point occurs, which helps to cut off the fluid passage in order to provide the driving force to the slider when pressurizing one side of the tube. The proposed actuator is applicable to not only the straight path but the spiral and the curved one as well. Moreover, the design method to drive stably and the analysis of the output force are discussed in this paper. Finally, “Fluid Ropeway” is also proposed as the application of Λ-drive aiming to search and rescue survivors in the half collapsed houses, and its feasibility is verified through the experiment.
Development of a Throw & Collect Type Rescue Inspector
In order to search survivors in half-collapsed buildings at disastrous sites, the authors have developed the throw & collect rescue inspector. It is composed of a throwing and a drawing mechanisms and a child machine equipped with camera. The parent robot is inserted to the site and starts the inspection of the area. If an obstacle is in the way, it throws out a child machine with its magnetic brake pneumatic cylinder, and the inspection can be performed beyond the obstacle while the child machine is drawn back. This report shows the details of the structure of the robot.
Development of a Throw & Collect Type Rescue Inspector - 6th Report: Control of the Throwing Distance by a Magnetic Brake Cylinder
For an effective search for survivors over debris in collapsed buildings, the authors have been developing the throw and collect type rescue inspector. The performance of this rescue robot is based on the parent robot throwing the child machine, equipped with cameras and sensors over high debris for inspection of the area and for searching for survivors, and then to draw it back, which should be better than trying to roll over, or jump over obstacles, as usual robots do. The throwing mechanism consists of a magnetic brake cylinder, which was developed to overcome the problems of the internal pressure fall of the pneumatic cylinder when moving light loads. However, the first magnetic brake cylinder designed does not have the necessary structure and mechanism to provide control over the child machine's throwing distance. This paper describes the design and the controlling method of a new magnetic brake cylinder, which allows control of the throwing distance of the child machine