KR20210071114A - Searching and Rescue Method through Snake Robot Whole Body Control Based on Weight Change - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a search and rescue method through whole body control of a snake-shaped robot based on weight change. The snake-shaped robot according to an aspect of the present invention includes a body part to which a plurality of modules are connected. Based on a change of at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between the plurality of modules, at least one of the length and shape of the body part is changeable. The weight of at least some of the plurality of modules is variable. A predetermined task may be performed based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the at least one module.

Description

{Searching and Rescue Method through Snake Robot Whole Body Control Based on Weight Change}

The present invention relates to a search and rescue method through whole body control of a snake-shaped robot based on weight change.

The robot hand refers to a hand of a machine that restrains or moves an object by means of a plurality of fingers, and whereas a robot arm performs general positioning within a wide work area, the robot hand has a limited area. It is used for fine manipulation or grasping of objects in the interior.

In addition, these artificial intelligence and robot technologies are being widely used in various fields, and can be utilized as core technologies for breaking through the handling technology of parts gripping and assembly in a manufacturing environment.

When a building collapses due to various disasters (earthquake, heavy snow, fire, heavy rain, landslide, etc.), the robot hand enters a narrow space, grasps the location and condition of the buried person, and can be used by grafting it to a robot that extends the golden time.

In the past, there have been cases where a vine-type robot has been developed, but it can only move forward, cannot reverse, and reuse after one input is not good, so it is used for detection and rescue missions that require repeated input in several places. There was a problem that it was not suitable.

In addition, there was a problem in that the existing technologies developed in advance focused only on the narrow space movement/reconnaissance function, and thus the robot was being developed.

Therefore, in order to extend the golden time of survivors, there is a growing need for a robot equipped with various sensors to find the buried and moving, as well as a function to supply emergency drugs and nutritional juice to solve the above problems. .

(1) Korean Intellectual Property Office Application No. 10-2016-0007854 (2) Korean Intellectual Property Office Application No. 10-2016-0037824

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention intends to propose to the user a search and rescue method through whole body control of a snake-shaped robot based on a change in weight.

Specifically, the present invention is based on a change in at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between a plurality of modules, at least one of the length and shape of the body part is changeable, and the weight of at least some of the plurality of modules is changeable, An object of the present invention is to propose a snake-shaped robot that performs a predetermined task based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of at least one module to the user.

On the other hand, the technical problems to be achieved in the present invention are not limited to the technical problems mentioned above, and other technical problems not mentioned are clearly to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs from the description below. can be understood

A snake robot according to an aspect of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem includes a body part connected to a plurality of modules, and based on a change in at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between the plurality of modules, At least one of the length and shape of the body is changeable, and the weight of at least some of the plurality of modules is changeable, based on the changed length of the body, the changed shape of the body, and the changed weight of the at least one module. can perform a pre-specified task.

In addition, a head part connected to the distal end of the body part may be further included, and the weight of the head part among the plurality of modules may be variable.

In addition, the robot hand is connected to at least a part of the head part, gripping or releasing the object; Further comprising, based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the head part, the robot hand may perform a predetermined task.

In addition, the plurality of modules are divided into at least one first module having one end connected to the head part among the plurality of modules, and a second module excluding the first module among the plurality of modules, and the first module The number of modules applied to may be changed according to the type of the predetermined task.

In addition, the weight of the head portion is reduced to less than a predetermined first weight, the weight of the first module is reduced to less than a predetermined second weight, in a state in which the second module is in contact with the ground, the predetermined In order to perform the task, the head unit and the first module may be lifted apart from the ground.

In addition, in a state in which the robot hand grips the object, the head part may be lifted apart from the ground.

In addition, the plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand may be controllable in real time based on EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology)-based communication.

In addition, at least one of the plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand, at least one camera for generating a three-dimensional around image and image; further comprising, wherein the three-dimensional around image and image of the snake robot It can be used for position recognition recognition, execution of a predetermined task, and real-time control of the plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand.

On the other hand, in another aspect of the present invention for achieving the above technical problem, the control method of a snake robot including a body part connected to a plurality of modules is at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between the plurality of modules. a first step of changing at least one of a length and a shape of the body part based on the change; a second step of changing the weight of at least some of the plurality of modules; and a third step of performing a predetermined task based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the at least one module.

In addition, the snake robot, the head portion connected to the end of the body portion; and a robot hand connected to at least a part of the head part and gripping or releasing an object. The method further includes, wherein the weight of the head part among the plurality of modules is changeable, and in the third step, the robot hand is preset based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the head part. A specified task may be performed.

In addition, the plurality of modules are divided into at least one first module having one end connected to the head part among the plurality of modules, and a second module excluding the first module among the plurality of modules, and the first module The number of modules applied to is changed according to the type of the predetermined task, and the second step includes: a 2-1 step in which the weight of the head unit is reduced to less than or equal to a predetermined first weight; and a second step of 2-2 in which the weight of the first module is reduced to less than or equal to a predetermined second weight, wherein in the third step, in a state in which the second module is in contact with the ground, the predetermined weight In order to perform the task, the head unit and the first module may be lifted apart from the ground.

Also, in the third step, in a state in which the robot hand grips the object, the head part may be lifted apart from the ground.

In addition, the plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand may be controllable in real time based on EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology)-based communication.

In addition, between the first step and the second step, at least one camera provided in at least a part of the plurality of modules, the head unit and the robot hand generates a three-dimensional around image and image; It further includes, wherein the three-dimensional around image and image, the position recognition recognition of the snake robot, performing a predetermined task, and can be used for real-time control of the plurality of modules, the head unit and the robot hand.

The present invention can provide a user with a search and rescue method through whole body control of a snake-shaped robot based on a change in weight.

Specifically, the present invention is based on a change in at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between a plurality of modules, at least one of the length and shape of the body part is changeable, and the weight of at least some of the plurality of modules is changeable, A snake-shaped robot that performs a predetermined task based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the at least one module may be provided to the user.

In addition, the present invention provides a gripper (eg, 3 to 10 degrees of freedom, 4 to 8 degrees of freedom, 3 grippers and 1 It is possible to provide a user with a snake robot consisting of a gripper combined with a camera) and a tube capable of supplying drugs or nutritional juice into one snake robot head module and a control method thereof.

In addition, according to the present invention, since there are many cases in which the victim lying on the debris cannot move his/her arms/legs, the golden time may be extended by supplying nutritional juice to the survivors.

In addition, according to the present invention, if the user simply manipulates the moving direction through the image and sensor information sent by the robot, it is possible to provide a driving control assistance function that automatically controls the actual driving of the robot according to the surrounding environment.

In addition, according to the present invention, it has a shape in which two degrees of freedom modules having drive shafts orthogonal to each other of a universal joint method similar to the vertebra of a snake are connected. By using the modular body, it becomes possible to easily reduce or increase the overall body length to suit the purpose of the robot.

In addition, according to the present invention, the modular body has an easy aspect for mass production, and by replacing and operating sensor modules suitable for the purpose, it is possible to effectively respond to human life detection and golden time extension at disaster sites.

In addition, according to the present invention, an information-oriented control screen is configured from signals of a plurality of sensors mounted on the snake head, thereby providing an efficient method for detecting burials.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to work in a narrow and dangerous industrial site and disaster environment, so it is possible to save time and money for safety check, narrow area search and work.

In addition, the present invention can be used in various fields, such as a robot for social security of terrorism and a military robot for detecting dangerous substances.

On the other hand, the effects obtainable in the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs from the following description. will be able

1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a snake robot proposed by the present invention.
Figure 2 shows an example of the snake robot proposed by the present invention.
3 shows a detailed configuration of a structure connected to the tail of the snake robot according to the present invention.
4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the nutrition supply unit of the snake robot according to the present invention.
5 shows an example of a nutrition supply unit of the snake robot according to the present invention.
Figure 6 shows an example of extending the golden time of the requester through the nutritional juice supply tube structure of the snake robot according to the present invention.
7A to 7C show an example of the configuration of the driving part (joint) of the snake robot body according to the present invention.
8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of performing a predetermined task by changing the weight of at least one module among a head part, a body part, and a tail part in relation to the present invention.
9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of performing an object gripping task by changing the weights of the modules of the head and the body in FIG. 8 .
10A to 10D are diagrams for explaining a torque and whole body control technique in consideration of a change in the weight of the snake head of FIG. 9 and a gripper operation.
11A and 11B show an example of a high-speed communication environment for establishing a real-time control environment applied to the present invention.
12A to 12C show an example in which a three-dimensional around view technology for increasing the robot's steering convenience and location recognition is applied in relation to the present invention.

snake robot

Prior to the detailed description of the present invention, the configuration of the snake robot applied to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

1 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of a snake robot proposed by the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the snake robot 100 includes a wireless communication unit 110 , an A/V (Audio/Video) input unit 120 , a user input unit 130 , a sensing unit 140 , an output unit 150 , and a memory. 160 , an interface unit 170 , a control unit 180 , a power supply unit 190 , and a robot hand 200 .

However, since the components shown in FIG. 1 are not essential, a snake robot having more or fewer components may be implemented.

Hereinafter, the components will be described in turn.

The wireless communication unit 110 may include one or more modules that enable wireless communication between the snake robot and the wireless communication system or between the device and the network in which the device is located.

For example, the wireless communication unit 110 may include a mobile communication module 112 , a wireless Internet module 113 , a short-range communication module 114 , and a location information module 115 .

The mobile communication module 112 transmits/receives a wireless signal to and from at least one of a base station, an external device, and a server on a mobile communication network.

It may include various types of data according to text/multimedia message transmission/reception.

The wireless Internet module 113 refers to a module for wireless Internet access, and may be built-in or external to the snake robot. As wireless Internet technologies, wireless LAN (WLAN) (Wi-Fi), wireless broadband (Wibro), World Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wimax), High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA), etc. may be used.

The short-range communication module 114 refers to a module for short-range communication. Bluetooth, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification), Infrared Data Association (IrDA), UWB (Ultra Wideband), ZigBee, and Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity, Wi-Fi) are short-range communication technologies. can be used

The location information module 115 is a module for acquiring the position of the snake robot, and a representative example thereof is a Global Positioning System (GPS) module.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the A/V (Audio/Video) input unit 120 is for inputting an audio signal or a video signal, and may include a camera 121 and a microphone 122 . The camera 121 processes an image frame such as a still image or a moving image obtained by the image sensor in the shooting mode. The processed image frame may be displayed on the display unit 151 .

The image frame processed by the camera 121 may be stored in the memory 160 or transmitted to the outside through the wireless communication unit 110 .

Two or more cameras 121 may be provided according to the use environment.

The camera 121 according to the present invention may be a thermal imaging camera.

A thermal imaging camera is also called a far-infrared camera, and is a camera that captures at least one object using far infrared rays (Far Infrared, LongWave Infrared, FIR).

Far-infrared rays usually refer to infrared rays with a wavelength of 8 µm or more, and are invisible to the naked eye because the wavelength is longer than visible light, and the heat action is large and the penetrating power is strong.

The characteristics of the far-infrared camera according to the present invention will be described.

A camera using a general CCD or CMOS device detects and projects light in the visible region, so it can acquire images similar to those seen by the human eye.

On the other hand, the far-infrared camera 122 projects light in an infrared band that humans cannot see.

Infrared light refers to light in a range of 750 nm to 1 mm among wavelengths of light. Among these infrared bands, NIR (Near Infra-Red) light refers to a wavelength of 700 nm to 1400 nm, and light in the NIR band is invisible to the human eye. Detection is possible with CCD or CMOS devices, and only light in the NIR band can be detected by using a filter.

In contrast, FIR light is also called LWIR (Long Wavelength Infra-Red), and infrared light represents a band of 8 μm to 15 μm among the wavelengths of light.

In particular, the FIR band has an advantage in that the temperature can be distinguished because the wavelength changes according to the temperature.

The body temperature of a person (a pedestrian), the target of the far-infrared camera, has a wavelength of 10 μm.

In particular, information acquired through a far-infrared camera is converted into a digital image signal, the converted image signal is analyzed, corrected and supplemented through a specific algorithm, and the processed image signal is displayed through the display unit 151 . output can be controlled.

The controller 180 may be implemented in a computer-readable recording medium using software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

In addition, a radar may be provided as a kind of the camera 121 according to the present invention.

Radar is an abbreviation of Radio Detecting And Ranging. It emits electromagnetic waves of microwaves (microwave, 10cm~100cm wavelength) to an object and receives the reflected electromagnetic waves from the object to determine the distance, direction, and altitude of the object. It is a wireless monitoring device that detects

In addition, a rider may be provided as a kind of camera 121 according to the present invention.

LiDAR is short for light detection and ranging, and is equivalent to laser radar.

It can be seen as a radar developed using laser beams with properties close to radio waves. Although lasers were initially developed for communication, they have the characteristics of both light and radio waves due to their strong monochromaticity.

That is, it is a device that emits pulsed laser light into the atmosphere and measures the distance, atmospheric phenomenon, etc. using the reflector or scatterer.

Rider calculates the time measurement of reflected light as a clock pulse, and the frequency of 30 MHz can have a resolution of 5 m, 150 MHz can have a resolution of 1 m, and it can generate powerful infrared pulses with a small beam width of about 30 seconds at an angle.

In addition, the microphone 122 receives an external sound signal by a microphone in a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, and the like, and processes it as electrical voice data. The processed voice data may be converted into a form that can be transmitted to the mobile communication base station through the mobile communication module 112 and output. Various noise removal algorithms for removing noise generated in the process of receiving an external sound signal may be implemented in the microphone 122 .

The user input unit 130 generates input data for the user to control the operation of the snake robot. The user input unit 130 may include a keypad, a dome switch, a touch pad (static pressure/capacitance), a jog wheel, a jog switch, and the like.

The sensing unit 140 detects the current state of the snake robot, such as the open/closed state of the snake robot, the position of the snake robot, the presence or absence of user contact, the orientation of the snake robot, acceleration/deceleration of the snake robot, and the like to control the operation of the snake robot. Generates a sensing signal.

The sensing unit 140 may sense whether power is supplied from the power supply unit 190 , whether the interface unit 170 is coupled to an external device, and the like.

Meanwhile, the sensing unit 140 may include a proximity sensor (not shown).

The output unit 150 is for generating an output related to visual, auditory or tactile sense, and includes a display unit 151, a sound output module 152, an alarm unit 153, a haptic module 154, and a projector module ( 155) may be included.

The display unit 151 displays (outputs) information processed by the snake robot.

The display unit 151 is a liquid crystal display (LCD), a thin film transistor-liquid crystal display (TFT LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED), a flexible display (flexible). display) and at least one of a three-dimensional display (3D display).

Some of these displays may be of a transparent type or a light-transmitting type so that the outside can be viewed through them. This may be referred to as a transparent display, and a typical example of the transparent display is a TOLED (Transparant OLED). The rear structure of the display unit 151 may also be configured as a light-transmitting structure.

Two or more display units 151 may exist depending on the implementation form of the snake robot. For example, in the snake robot, a plurality of display units may be spaced apart or integrally disposed on one surface, or may be respectively disposed on different surfaces.

When the display unit 151 and the sensor for sensing a touch operation (hereinafter, referred to as a 'touch sensor') form a layered structure (hereinafter referred to as a 'touch screen'), the display unit 151 may be used in addition to the output device. It can also be used as an input device. The touch sensor may have the form of, for example, a touch film, a touch sheet, a touch pad, or the like.

The touch sensor may be configured to convert a change in pressure applied to a specific portion of the display unit 151 or capacitance generated in a specific portion of the display unit 151 into an electrical input signal. The touch sensor may be configured to detect not only the touched position and area, but also the pressure at the time of the touch.

When there is a touch input to the touch sensor, a signal(s) corresponding thereto is sent to the touch controller. The touch controller processes the signal(s) and then transmits corresponding data to the controller 180 . Accordingly, the controller 180 can know which area of the display unit 151 has been touched, and the like.

The proximity sensor (not shown) may be disposed in an inner region of the snake robot covered by the touch screen or near the touch screen. The proximity sensor refers to a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an object approaching a predetermined detection surface or an object existing in the vicinity without mechanical contact using the force of an electromagnetic field or infrared rays. Proximity sensors have a longer lifespan than contact sensors and their utility is also high.

Examples of the proximity sensor include a transmission type photoelectric sensor, a direct reflection type photoelectric sensor, a mirror reflection type photoelectric sensor, a high frequency oscillation type proximity sensor, a capacitive type proximity sensor, a magnetic type proximity sensor, and an infrared proximity sensor. When the touch screen is of a capacitive type, it is configured to detect the proximity of the pointer by a change in an electric field according to the proximity of the pointer. In this case, the touch screen (touch sensor) may be classified as a proximity sensor.

Hereinafter, for convenience of description, the act of bringing the pointer closer to the touch screen without making contact so that the pointer is recognized as being positioned on the touch screen is referred to as “proximity touch”, and the touch The act of actually touching the pointer on the screen is called "contact touch". The position at which a proximity touch is performed by the pointer on the touch screen means a position at which the pointer vertically corresponds to the touch screen when the pointer is touched in proximity.

The proximity sensor detects a proximity touch and a proximity touch pattern (eg, proximity touch distance, proximity touch direction, proximity touch speed, proximity touch time, proximity touch position, proximity touch movement state, etc.). Information corresponding to the sensed proximity touch operation and the proximity touch pattern may be output on the touch screen.

Also, the snake robot 100 according to the present invention may include a gyro sensor 141 .

The gyro sensor 141 is a sensor that measures the change in the orientation of an object using the property of always maintaining the initially set constant direction with high accuracy regardless of the rotation of the earth, and the gyroscope has a mechanical method and an optical method using light. have.

In addition, the snake robot 100 according to the present invention may include an acceleration sensor 142 .

The acceleration sensor 142 processes an output signal to measure a dynamic force such as acceleration, vibration, or impact of an object.

The acceleration sensor 142 can be broadly classified as a detection method into an inertial type, a gyro type, and a silicon semiconductor type.

Also, the snake robot 100 according to the present invention may include a pressure sensor 143 .

The pressure sensor 143 refers to a device and device that detects the pressure of a liquid or gas, converts it into an electrical signal that is easy to use for measurement or control, and transmits the same.

There are many types of measurement principles, including displacement and strain, and thermal conductivity of molecular density. Recently, a strain gauge type pressure sensor made of silicon has been developed and used for precise pressure measurement. An integrated pressure sensor has also been developed, in which an integrated circuit is built on the same substrate to process a signal.

Also, the snake robot 100 according to the present invention may include a tactile sensor 144 .

A tactile sensor (144, Tactile Sensor) is a pressure sensor that artificially realizes human tactile sense in a robot and is largely divided into a contact sensor, a pressure sensor, a slip sensor, and a temperature sensor. it's technology

A tactile sensor array is a sensor for obtaining two-dimensional information by arranging several to tens of contact angle sensors 144 or pressure sensors in a flat shape, and can also be used to detect a shape or motion.

Many of these sensors constitute an array type sensor by dividing any one of the electrodes on both sides of conductive rubber, piezoelectric polymer, and pressure-sensitive polymer, and the two-dimensional pressure distribution is detected from the change in resistance between the opposing electrodes or the voltage output.

In particular, the tactile sensor 144 according to the present invention may sense at least one of a normal force, a shear force, and a conductive force of an object that the robot hand 200 comes into contact with.

Meanwhile, the sound output module 152 may output audio data received from the wireless communication unit 110 or stored in the memory 160 in a recording mode, a voice recognition mode, a broadcast reception mode, and the like. The sound output module 152 also outputs a sound signal related to a function performed by the snake robot. The sound output module 152 may include a receiver, a speaker, a buzzer, and the like.

The alarm unit 153 outputs a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event of the snake robot.

The alarm unit 153 may output a signal for notifying the occurrence of an event in a form other than a video signal or an audio signal, for example, vibration.

The video signal or audio signal may also be output through the display unit 151 or the audio output module 152 , and thus they may be classified as a part of the alarm unit 153 .

The haptic module 154 generates various tactile effects that the user can feel. A representative example of the tactile effect generated by the haptic module 154 is vibration. The intensity and pattern of vibration generated by the haptic module 154 are controllable.

For example, different vibrations may be synthesized and output or may be output sequentially.

In addition to vibration, the haptic module 154 is a pin arrangement that moves vertically with respect to the contact skin surface, the ejection force or suction force of air through the nozzle or suction port, the grazing on the skin surface, contact with the electrode, electrostatic force, etc. Various tactile effects can be generated, such as an effect caused by heat absorption and an effect by reproducing a feeling of cold and heat using an element capable of absorbing heat or generating heat.

The haptic module 154 may not only deliver the tactile effect through direct contact, but may also be implemented so that the user can feel the tactile effect through a muscle sense such as a finger or arm. Two or more haptic modules 154 may be provided according to the configuration of the snake robot.

The projector module 155 is a component for performing an image project function using a snake robot, and is the same as or at least part of an image displayed on the display unit 151 according to a control signal of the controller 180 . can display different images on an external screen or wall.

Specifically, the projector module 155 generates an image to be output to the outside using a light source (not shown) that generates light (for example, laser light) for outputting an image to the outside, and the light generated by the light source. It may include a lens (not shown) for magnifying and outputting an image to the outside at a predetermined focal length, and an image generating means (not shown) for doing so. In addition, the projector module 155 may include a device (not shown) capable of adjusting an image projection direction by mechanically moving a lens or the entire module.

The projector module 155 may be divided into a cathode ray tube (CRT) module, a liquid crystal display (LCD) module, a digital light processing (DLP) module, and the like according to the device type of the display means. In particular, the DLP module may be advantageous for miniaturization of the projector module 151 by enlarging and projecting an image generated when light generated from a light source is reflected by a digital micromirror device (DMD) chip.

Preferably, the projector module 155 may be provided on the side, front or back side of the snake robot in the longitudinal direction. Of course, it is natural that the projector module 155 may be provided at any position of the snake robot, if necessary.

On the other hand, the memory unit 160 may store a program for processing and control of the controller 180, and may temporarily store input/output data (eg, message, audio, still image, moving image, etc.). It can also perform functions for The frequency of use of each of the data may also be stored in the memory unit 160 . In addition, the memory unit 160 may store data related to vibration and sound of various patterns output when a touch input on the touch screen is input.

The memory 160 may include a flash memory type, a hard disk type, a multimedia card micro type, a card type memory (eg, SD or XD memory), and a RAM. (Random Access Memory, RAM), SRAM (Static Random Access Memory), ROM (Read-Only Memory, ROM), EEPROM (Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory), PROM (Programmable Read-Only Memory), magnetic memory, magnetic It may include at least one type of storage medium among a disk and an optical disk. The snake robot may operate in relation to a web storage that performs a storage function of the memory 160 on the Internet.

The interface unit 170 serves as a passage with all external devices connected to the snake robot. The interface unit 170 receives data from an external device, receives power and transmits it to each component inside the snake robot, or transmits data inside the snake robot to an external device. For example, wired/wireless headset ports, external charger ports, wired/wireless data ports, memory card ports, ports for connecting devices equipped with identification modules, audio input/output (I/O) ports, A video I/O (Input/Output) port, an earphone port, etc. may be included in the interface unit 170 .

The identification module is a chip that stores various information for authenticating the use authority of the snake robot, and includes a User Identify Module (UIM), a Subscriber Identify Module (SIM), and a Universal Subscriber Identity. Module, USIM) and the like. A device equipped with an identification module (hereinafter, 'identification device') may be manufactured in the form of a smart card. Therefore, the identification device can be connected to the snake robot through the port.

The interface unit is a path through which power from the cradle is supplied to the snake robot when the snake robot is connected to an external cradle, or a path through which various command signals input from the cradle by a user are transmitted to the mobile device. can be Various command signals or the power input from the cradle may be operated as signals for recognizing that the mobile device is correctly mounted on the cradle.

The controller 180 generally controls the overall operation of the snake robot.

The power supply unit 190 receives external power and internal power under the control of the control unit 180 to supply power necessary for the operation of each component.

Various embodiments described herein may be implemented in a computer-readable recording medium using, for example, software, hardware, or a combination thereof.

According to the hardware implementation, the embodiments described herein are ASICs (application specific integrated circuits), DSPs (digital signal processors), DSPDs (digital signal processing devices), PLDs (programmable logic devices), FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays, It may be implemented using at least one of processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, and other electrical units for performing functions. The described embodiments may be implemented by the controller 180 itself.

According to the software implementation, embodiments such as the procedures and functions described in this specification may be implemented as separate software modules. Each of the software modules may perform one or more functions and operations described herein. The software code may be implemented as a software application written in a suitable programming language. The software code may be stored in the memory 160 and executed by the controller 180 .

In addition, the system 100 according to the present invention may include a robot hand 200 .

The robot hand 200 largely includes a palm part 210 and a finger part 220 .

The finger unit 220 may have a structure having at least one joint, and may move at the same speed with respect to the object through a distance sensor (not shown).

On the other hand, a plurality of robot hands 200 may be provided in the system 100 , and performing tasks having a specific order and combination direction as well as a simple gripping operation through the plurality of robot hands 200 are also performed. It is possible.

In addition, the system 100 according to the present invention may include a nutrition supply unit 300 .

Nutritional supply unit 310 by supplying the nutritional juice through the supply tube 310, it is possible to extend the golden time of the requestor.

structure of snake robot

In the past, there have been cases where a vine-type robot has been developed, but it can only move forward, cannot reverse, and reuse after one input is not good, so it is used for detection and rescue missions that require repeated input in several places. There was a problem that it was not suitable.

In addition, there was a problem in that the existing technologies developed in advance focused only on the narrow space movement/reconnaissance function, and thus the robot was being developed.

Therefore, in order to extend the golden time of survivors, there is a growing need for a robot equipped with various sensors to find the buried and moving, as well as a function to supply emergency drugs and nutritional juice to solve the above problems. .

An object of the present invention is to provide a user with a snake robot capable of extending the golden time of a user through a nutrient juice supply tube structure and a method for controlling the same in order to solve the problems of the prior art.

Specifically, the present invention relates to a snake robot for checking human life and danger at the site where a disaster situation such as a collapse of a building occurs. In the driving motion of the snake robot, forward/reverse rotation in the horizontal and vertical directions based on the module rotation axis is performed. It is intended to provide users with a snake robot that implements movement of a body similar to that of an actual snake with a structure that can be implemented and a control method thereof.

In addition, the present invention provides a gripper (eg, 3 to 10 degrees of freedom, 4 to 8 degrees of freedom, 3 grippers and 1 It is intended to provide users with a snake robot that consists of a gripper combined with a camera) and a tube that can supply drugs or nutrient juice into one snake robot head module and its control method.

Figure 2 shows an example of the snake robot proposed by the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the robot hand 200 of the snake robot 100 is shown.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the robot hand 200 largely includes a palm part 210 and a finger part 220 .

The finger unit 220 may have a structure having at least one joint, and may move at the same speed with respect to the object through a distance sensor (not shown).

In addition, the finger unit 220 may be rotated based on a predetermined point to be completely turned backward or to be bent at a predetermined angle.

In addition, a plurality of robot hands 200 may be provided in the snake robot 100, and the plurality of robot hands 200 perform a task having a specific order and combination direction as well as a simple gripping operation. It is also possible

Referring also to FIG. 2 , the system 100 according to the present invention includes a nutrition supply unit 300 .

Nutritional supply unit 310 by supplying the nutritional juice through the supply tube 310, it is possible to extend the golden time of the requestor.

Also, referring to FIG. 2 , a body part 410 of the snake robot 100 is shown, and a power line, a supply tube 310 , a communication line, etc. may be disposed through the inside of the body part 410 . .

Also, referring to FIG. 2 , the tail 420 of the snake robot 100 is illustrated, and a connection structure 411 connecting the tail 420 and the body 410 is also illustrated.

On the other hand, the body part 410, the tail part 420, etc. of the snake robot 100 according to the present invention are wrapped in a soft tube made of a waterproof and dustproof rubber material so that it can be used in flat, non-flat, and narrow spaces. can be implemented as

In addition, the snake robot 100 according to the present invention may be implemented by integrating lighting, a camera, various detection sensors and grippers, and a nutritional juice supply tube.

The snake robot 100 according to the present invention can compactly mount a plurality of sensors on at least some of the head area, the body part 410 and the tail part 420 , and can be utilized for burial detection and rescue.

3 shows a detailed configuration of a structure connected to the tail of the snake robot according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 3 , the connection structure 411 connects the tail 420 and the body 410 of the snake robot 100 , and includes a power line 191 , a supply tube 310 , and a communication line 111 . ), etc. may be placed.

As shown in FIG. 3 , the snake robot 100 has a shape in which two degrees of freedom modules having drive shafts orthogonal to each other of a universal joint method similar to the vertebra of a snake are connected.

Therefore, it is possible to easily reduce or increase the overall body length according to the purpose of the robot using the modular body.

In addition, if the user simply manipulates only the moving direction through the image and sensor information sent by the snake robot 100 , the actual robot can be automatically controlled according to the surrounding environment.

In addition, it is possible to provide an efficient method for detecting a buried person by configuring an information-oriented control screen from signals of a plurality of sensors 140 mounted on the snake robot 100 .

As a result, the present invention implements the snake robot 100 in a structure that can implement horizontal and vertical forward/reverse rotation based on the module rotation axis in the driving motion of the snake robot, so that the body of the snake robot 100 is similar to that of a real snake. movement can be implemented.

In addition, the present invention provides a robot hand (gripper, for example, 3 to 10 degrees of freedom, 4 to 8 degrees of freedom) for extending the golden time of human life requiring various types of sensors 140 and structures for checking human life and danger. etc.) can be used, but typically, a set in which three robot hands and one camera are combined can be applied.

In addition, the present invention is to become a snake robot 100 in which a tube capable of supplying drugs or nutritional juice is composed of one snake robot head module.

Nutritional supply applied to snake robot

4 is a block diagram illustrating the configuration of the nutrition supply unit of the snake robot according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4 , the nutrition supply unit 300 of the snake robot 100 according to the present invention includes a supply tube 310 , a camera 320 , a temperature sensor 330 , a gas sensor 340 , and a pattern projector 350 . and the like.

In addition, although not shown, the nutrition supply unit 300 may additionally include a microphone.

As described above, the supply tube 310 is inserted into the body portion 410 of the snake robot 100 to supply nutritional juice, thereby extending the golden time of the requestor.

That is, the supply tube 310 is used in the snake robot body as a hose for supplying drugs and nutrient juice in response to the need to supply food, water, etc. to extend the golden time of the requestor.

In addition, two or more cameras 320 may be provided according to the use environment.

The camera 320 according to the present invention may be a thermal imaging camera.

A thermal imaging camera is also called a far-infrared camera, and is a camera that captures at least one object using far infrared rays (Far Infrared, LongWave Infrared, FIR).

Far-infrared rays usually refer to infrared rays with a wavelength of 8 µm or more, and are invisible to the naked eye because the wavelength is longer than visible light, and the heat action is large and the penetrating power is strong.

The characteristics of the far-infrared camera according to the present invention will be described.

A camera using a general CCD or CMOS device detects and projects light in the visible region, so it can acquire images similar to those seen by the human eye.

On the other hand, the far-infrared camera 122 projects light in an infrared band that humans cannot see.

Infrared light refers to light in a range of 750 nm to 1 mm among wavelengths of light. Among these infrared bands, NIR (Near Infra-Red) light refers to a wavelength of 700 nm to 1400 nm, and light in the NIR band is invisible to the human eye. Detection is possible with CCD or CMOS devices, and only light in the NIR band can be detected by using a filter.

In contrast, FIR light is also called LWIR (Long Wavelength Infra-Red), and infrared light represents a band of 8 μm to 15 μm among the wavelengths of light.

In particular, the FIR band has an advantage in that the temperature can be distinguished because the wavelength changes according to the temperature.

The body temperature of a person (a pedestrian), the target of the far-infrared camera, has a wavelength of 10 μm.

In particular, information acquired through a far-infrared camera is converted into a digital image signal, the converted image signal is analyzed, corrected and supplemented through a specific algorithm, and the processed image signal is displayed through the display unit 151 . output can be controlled.

In addition, a radar may be provided as a kind of the camera 320 according to the present invention.

Radar is an abbreviation of Radio Detecting And Ranging. It emits electromagnetic waves of microwaves (microwave, 10cm~100cm wavelength) to an object and receives the reflected electromagnetic waves from the object to determine the distance, direction, and altitude of the object. It is a wireless monitoring device that detects

In addition, a rider may be provided as a kind of camera 320 according to the present invention.

LiDAR is short for light detection and ranging, and is equivalent to laser radar.

It can be seen as a radar developed using laser beams with properties close to radio waves. Although lasers were initially developed for communication, they have the characteristics of both light and radio waves due to their strong monochromaticity.

That is, it is a device that emits pulsed laser light into the atmosphere and measures the distance, atmospheric phenomenon, etc. using the reflector or scatterer.

Rider calculates the time measurement of reflected light as a clock pulse, and the frequency of 30 MHz can have a resolution of 5 m, 150 MHz can have a resolution of 1 m, and it can generate powerful infrared pulses with a small beam width of about 30 seconds at an angle.

In addition, the temperature sensor (temperature sensor, 330) is a sensor that responds to a change in temperature, and is used to automate temperature management by sensing a change in temperature.

The temperature sensor 330 is a sensor that detects heat and emits an electrical signal. Generally, it is divided into a contact type and a non-contact type. The contact type is a method of measuring the temperature value by directly contacting the actual measurement target, and the non-contact type is a method of measuring the temperature value a way to measure

A temperature sensor is an electronic circuit element with a negative resistance temperature coefficient that reduces resistance as the temperature rises, and is widely used as a temperature control sensor because its heat capacity is small and a sudden change in resistance occurs even with a minute temperature change.

In addition, a gas sensor ( 340 ) is a generic term for a sensor for detecting gas, and as various gases are used as an energy source, it is one of the sensors that have increased in demand not only in the industrial field but also in the home use.

After measuring the gas component, the gas sensor 340 that transmits a signal according to the specific amount of gas component contained in the gas is used in order to control the device or send an alarm according to the result.

There are many types of detection methods for gas sensors because they differ depending on the type and concentration of gas. Examples of the combustible gas sensor include a catalytic combustion sensor, a semiconductor sensor, and a ceramic gas sensor.

Also, it is known that the oxygen sensor uses a material of ZrO2, TiO2, CoO, or LaAlO3.

In addition, if classified by detection method, electrochemical method (solution conduction method, electrostatic potential electrolysis method, diaphragm electrode method), optical method (infrared absorption method, visible absorption method, optical interference method), electrical method (hydrogen ionization method, thermal conduction method) , a catalytic combustion method, a semiconductor method), and the like include a gas chromatography method.

Also, the pattern projector 350 is a device that illuminates a slide or moving image on a screen using light, and in the present invention, it may be possible to display information by applying a pattern.

5 shows an example of a nutrition supply unit of the snake robot according to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5 , an example of an actual implementation of the nutrition supply unit 300 is shown.

Referring to FIG. 5 , the nutrition supply unit 300 includes a supply tube 310 , nutrient juice can be supplied through the corresponding area, two cameras 320 are provided, a temperature sensor 330 , and a gas sensor 340 and a pattern projector 350 are included.

In addition, the robot hand 200 is connected to a partial region of the nutrition supply unit 300 , and the plurality of finger units 220 of the robot hand 200 are implemented in a fully tilted back form in FIG. 5 .

In addition, Figure 6 shows an example of extending the golden time of the requester through the nutritional juice supply tube structure of the snake robot according to the present invention.

Joints (drivers) that make up the body of the snake robot

7A to 7C show an example of the configuration of the driving part (joint) of the snake robot body according to the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 7A , an example of any one of the plurality of modules constituting the body 410 is illustrated.

Referring to FIG. 7A , a hinge method 415 capable of rotation 416 of ±90° is applied to the driving unit (joint) of the snake robot body module 410 .

In addition, the driving units 413 and 414 of the snake robot body module 410 are cross-connected by 90 degrees to form the snake robot body part 410 .

The joint driving method of the body module is configured as a motor-gear-output shaft method, and two methods may be considered with FIGS. 7B and 7C.

First, referring to FIG. 7B , a BLDC motor 431 and a spur gear module 432 are applied as a power transmission method.

In addition, referring to FIG. 7C , a BLDC motor 431 , a timing belt 433 , and a harmonic reducer 434 are applied as a power transmission method.

How to change the weight of a module to perform a predefined task

8 is a flowchart illustrating a method of performing a predetermined task by changing the weight of at least one module among a head part, a body part, and a tail part in relation to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 8 , first, based on a change in at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between a plurality of modules, a step S10 in which at least one of the length and shape of the body is changed is performed.

Thereafter, a step ( S20 ) in which the weight of at least some of the plurality of modules is changed is performed.

A step (S30) of performing a predetermined task based on the changed length of the body part through step S20, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the at least one module (S30) is finally performed.

Meanwhile, FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating a method of performing the object gripping task by changing the weights of the modules of the head and the body in FIG. 8 .

In FIG. 9 as well as in FIG. 8, first, based on a change in at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between a plurality of modules, a step (S10) in which at least one of the length and shape of the body is changed is performed.

Thereafter, as a detailed step of step S20, at least one first module of which one end of the plurality of modules is connected to the head, and a second module excluding the first module among the plurality of modules, the weight of the head is specified in advance A step (S21) of reducing the first weight or less is performed.

In addition, a step (S22) of reducing the weight of the first module to less than a predetermined second weight along with the reduction in the weight of the head is performed.

In addition, as a detailed process of step S30 of FIG. 8 , the robot hand 200 holds the object 500 ( S31 ), and in a state in which the second module is in contact with the ground, for performing the predetermined task , while the robot hand 200 holds the object 500, the step (S32) of lifting the head part and the first module apart from the ground is performed.

Thereafter, a step (S33) in which the snake robot performs a predetermined task related to the gripped object 500 is performed.

10A to 10D are diagrams for explaining a torque and whole body control technique in consideration of a change in the weight of the snake head of FIG. 9 and a gripper operation.

Referring to FIG. 10A , at least one first module having one end connected to the head part among the plurality of modules is divided into a second module excluding the first module among the plurality of modules, and the weight of the head part is less than or equal to a predetermined first weight decreases to

In addition, the weight of the first module is reduced to less than a predetermined second weight together with the weight reduction of the head part.

At this time, in a state where the robot hand 200 grips the object 500 and the second module is in contact with the ground, the robot hand 200 holds the object 500 to perform the predetermined task. In this state, the head part and the first module are lifted apart from the ground.

In addition, referring to FIG. 10B , assuming two contact points as the dynamics of the center of mass (COM), applying generalized nonlinear dynamics, and then calculating the joint torque of the snake robot considering them will be described.

In addition, it is possible to implement and apply a system such as the diagram shown in FIG. 10C for whole body control of a snake-like robot that adapts to a change in weight.

The control rule used in the diagram of FIG. 10C may be summarized in Equation 1 as follows.

Equation 1

In addition, in order to deal with the robot's inertia matrix according to the change in the posture of the snake-shaped robot, the adaptive control algorithm can be applied as shown in Equation 2 below.

In this case, the control gain for the inertia matrix may be updated as follows.

Equation 2

Also, referring to FIG. 10D , the resultant value of the gain change of the inertia matrix of the snake robot according to the change of time is shown.

High-speed communication environment for real-time control environment applied to snake robot

In order to apply the method of performing a predetermined task by changing the weight of the above-described module in real time, a high-speed communication environment for establishing a real-time control environment is required.

11A and 11B show an example of a high-speed communication environment for establishing a real-time control environment applied to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 11A , a plurality of modules, a head unit, and a robot hand can be controlled in real time based on EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology)-based communication.

11a, the EtherCAT master 610, the repeater 614, the management PC 670, the Bam robot 100, etc. are mutually EtherCAT (EtherCAT, 611), Power 612 based on carry out communication

Also, Ethernet 613 may be applied between the snake robot 100 and the repeater 614 .

Through this, sensor data noise processing 621, communication load 622, data real-time processing 623 are possible, multi-axis real-time control 631, communication noise processing 632, driving module and gripper driving real-time processing 644 ) is possible.

In addition, signal attenuation processing 641 by long-distance communication, data real-time processing 642, image data transmission/reception 643, etc. are possible, and voltage attenuation 651 according to the invention, voltage attenuation by using a long-distance DC power supply The problem of 652 and the like can also be solved, and the problem of the communication delay 661 can also be solved.

Referring to FIG. 11B , the conventional technology as shown in (a) applies CAN, RS 485 communication, etc., which has a problem in that real-time control with multiple degrees of freedom is impossible.

Therefore, in order to solve this problem and to perform distributed control and position command, as shown in (b) of FIG. 11b, the body joint module adopted a modular method to facilitate disassembly, assembly, and reconfiguration, and the gripper High-speed control through EtherCAT was made possible for a total of more than 22 inductions, including induction.

Through this, as shown in (c) of FIG. 11B , in the present invention, real-time high-speed torque control is possible for all joints such as the snake body and the gripper.

3D around view applied to snake robot

12A to 12C show an example in which a three-dimensional around view technology for increasing the robot's steering convenience and location recognition is applied in relation to the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 12A , two or more cameras 320 are provided, and a thermal image sensor 320b and a camera 320a may be included.

In addition, a temperature and humidity sensor 330 , a gas sensor 340 , and a pattern projector 350 are included.

In addition, a microphone 180 , a human body sensor 140 , a speaker 150 , an IMU application control unit 180 , and the like may be included.

In this case, a 3D around view may be generated and applied based on the provided plurality of cameras 320 .

Referring to (a) and (b) of FIG. 12B , a front view image 321 may be generated through the first vision camera 320 , and a rear view image 321 may be generated through the second vision camera 320 . A (rear view) image 3212 may be generated.

Through this, as shown in (c) of FIG. 12B , a 3D around view is generated and provided to the user.

That is, as shown in (a) of FIG. 12C , there is a problem in that it is difficult to check the surroundings of the robot by applying a channel camera in the related art.

However, in the present invention, as shown in FIG. 12C (b), by applying a 4-channel camera and a 3D sensor, a 2D or 3D around view can be generated and the robot position can be easily estimated.

Therefore, as shown in (c) of FIG. 12C, it is easy to check the surroundings of the robot, the user's convenience in operating the robot is greatly increased, and it is possible to grasp the current position of the robot in real time.

Effects of Snake Robot

The present invention can provide a user with a search and rescue method through whole body control of a snake-shaped robot based on a change in weight.

Specifically, the present invention is based on a change in at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between a plurality of modules, at least one of the length and shape of the body part is changeable, and the weight of at least some of the plurality of modules is changeable, A snake-shaped robot that performs a predetermined task based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the at least one module may be provided to the user.

The present invention relates to a snake robot and a control method thereof, and the present invention can provide a user with a snake robot capable of extending the golden time of a user through a nutritious juice supply tube structure and a control method thereof.

The present invention relates to a snake robot capable of removing obstacles through a gripper and a control method therefor, and the present invention relates to a snake robot equipped with a gripper function that can be manipulated, such as locking a gas valve or removing obstacles around a buried person, and the same A control method may be provided to the user.

The present invention relates to a snake robot for detecting burial in collapsed terrain and a control method therefor, and the present invention provides a snake robot and a control method therefor to a user for detecting a burial in a flat narrow space and securing and extending the golden time for lifesaving. can

The present invention relates to a snake robot having a tube-shaped outer skin and a control method therefor. The present invention has a body or tail that can inflate a body like a balloon so that it can spread between debris with pneumatic supplied from the outside. It is possible to provide a user with a snake robot equipped with a tube-shaped outer skin that can increase the safety of the buried person as an additional function and a control method thereof.

Specifically, the present invention relates to a snake robot for checking human life and danger at the site where a disaster situation such as a collapse of a building occurs, and horizontal and vertical forward/reverse rotation based on the module rotation axis in the driving motion of the snake robot. With a structure that can be implemented, it is possible to provide a user with a snake robot that implements movement of a body similar to that of an actual snake and a control method thereof.

In addition, the present invention provides a gripper (eg, 3 to 10 degrees of freedom, 4 to 8 degrees of freedom, 3 grippers and 1 It is possible to provide a user with a snake robot consisting of a gripper combined with a camera) and a tube capable of supplying drugs or nutritional juice into one snake robot head module and a control method thereof.

In addition, according to the present invention, since there are many cases in which the victim lying on the debris cannot move his/her arms/legs, the golden time may be extended by supplying nutritional juice to the survivors.

In addition, according to the present invention, if the user simply manipulates the moving direction through the image and sensor information sent by the robot, it is possible to provide a driving control assistance function that automatically controls the actual driving of the robot according to the surrounding environment.

In addition, according to the present invention, it has a shape in which two-degree-of-freedom modules having drive shafts orthogonal to each other of a universal joint method similar to the vertebra of a snake are connected, and the overall body length can be easily reduced according to the purpose of the robot using a modular body. It becomes possible for me to extend

In addition, according to the present invention, the modular body has an easy aspect for mass production, and by replacing and operating sensor modules suitable for the purpose, it is possible to effectively respond to human life detection and golden time extension at disaster sites.

In addition, according to the present invention, an information-oriented control screen is configured from signals of a plurality of sensors mounted on the snake head, thereby providing an efficient method for detecting burials.

In addition, according to the present invention, it is possible to work in a narrow and dangerous industrial site and disaster environment, so it is possible to save time and money for safety check, narrow area search and work.

In addition, the present invention can be used in various fields, such as a robot for social security of terrorism and a military robot for detecting dangerous substances.

On the other hand, the effects obtainable in the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned effects, and other effects not mentioned will be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs from the following description. will be able

In addition, the above-described embodiments of the present invention may be implemented through various means. For example, embodiments of the present invention may be implemented by hardware, firmware, software, or a combination thereof.

In case of implementation by hardware, the method according to embodiments of the present invention may include one or more Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Digital Signal Processors (DSPs), Digital Signal Processing Devices (DSPDs), and Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs). , FPGAs (Field Programmable Gate Arrays), processors, controllers, microcontrollers, microprocessors, and the like.

In the case of implementation by firmware or software, the method according to the embodiments of the present invention may be implemented in the form of a module, procedure, or function that performs the functions or operations described above. The software code may be stored in the memory unit and driven by the processor. The memory unit may be located inside or outside the processor, and may transmit and receive data to and from the processor by various known means.

The detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention disclosed as described above is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and practice the present invention. Although the above has been described with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various modifications and changes can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, those skilled in the art may use each configuration described in the above-described embodiments in a way in combination with each other. Accordingly, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the present invention. Accordingly, the above detailed description should not be construed as restrictive in all respects but as exemplary. The scope of the present invention should be determined by a reasonable interpretation of the appended claims, and all modifications within the equivalent scope of the present invention are included in the scope of the present invention. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. In addition, claims that are not explicitly cited in the claims may be combined to form an embodiment, or may be included as new claims by amendment after filing.

Claims (14)

Including; a body to which a plurality of modules are connected;

Based on a change in at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between the plurality of modules, at least one of the length and shape of the body part is changeable,

The weight of at least some of the plurality of modules is variable,

The snake robot, characterized in that it performs a predetermined task based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the at least one module.
The method of claim 1,
It further comprises; a head part connected to the end of the body part;
A snake robot, characterized in that the weight of the head part among the plurality of modules is variable.
3. The method of claim 2,

a robot hand connected to at least a part of the head part and gripping or releasing an object; further comprising,

The snake robot, characterized in that the robot hand performs a predetermined task based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the head part.
4. The method of claim 3,

The plurality of modules are divided into at least one first module having one end connected to the head part among the plurality of modules, and a second module excluding the first module among the plurality of modules,

The number of modules applied to the first module is changed according to the type of the predetermined task.
5. The method of claim 4,
The weight of the head portion is reduced to less than a predetermined first weight,
The weight of the first module is reduced to less than a predetermined second weight,
In a state in which the second module is in contact with the ground, the head part and the first module are lifted apart from the ground to perform the predetermined task.
6. The method of claim 5,
A snake robot, characterized in that the head part is lifted apart from the ground while the robot hand grips the object.
4. The method of claim 3,
The plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand, a snake robot, characterized in that it can be controlled in real time based on EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology)-based communication.
4. The method of claim 3,
At least some of the plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand, at least one camera for generating a three-dimensional surround image and image; further comprising,
The three-dimensional around image and video,
The snake robot, characterized in that it is used for recognizing the position of the snake robot, performing a predetermined task, and controlling the plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand in real time.
In the control method of a snake robot comprising a; a body to which a plurality of modules are connected,
a first step of changing at least one of a length and a shape of the body part based on a change in at least one of a connection point and a separation distance between the plurality of modules;
a second step of changing the weight of at least some of the plurality of modules; and
and a third step of performing a predetermined task based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the at least one module.
10. The method of claim 9,
The snake robot may include a head connected to an end of the body; and
a robot hand connected to at least a part of the head part and gripping or releasing an object; further comprising,
The weight of the head part among the plurality of modules is variable,
The third step is
The control method of a snake robot, characterized in that the task in which the robot hand is assigned in advance is performed based on the changed length of the body part, the changed shape of the body part, and the changed weight of the head part.
11. The method of claim 10,
The plurality of modules are divided into at least one first module having one end connected to the head part among the plurality of modules, and a second module excluding the first module among the plurality of modules,

The number of modules applied to the first module is changed according to the type of the predetermined task,

The second step is
a step 2-1 in which the weight of the head part is reduced to less than a predetermined first weight; and
A second step of reducing the weight of the first module to less than or equal to a predetermined second weight; further comprising,

In the third step,
In a state in which the second module is in contact with the ground, in order to perform the predetermined task, the control method of the snake robot, characterized in that the head part and the first module are lifted apart from the ground.
12. The method of claim 11,
In the third step,
In a state in which the robot hand grips the object, the control method of the snake robot, characterized in that the head part is lifted apart from the ground.
10. The method of claim 9,
The control method of the snake robot, characterized in that the plurality of modules, the head unit and the robot hand can be controlled in real time based on EtherCAT (Ethernet for Control Automation Technology)-based communication.
10. The method of claim 9,
Between the first step and the second step,
Steps 1-5 in which at least one camera provided in at least a portion of the plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand generates a three-dimensional surround image and an image; further comprising,
The 3D around image and image are used for position recognition recognition of the snake robot, execution of a predetermined task, and real-time control of the plurality of modules, the head unit, and the robot hand.

Images