This project has been taken

Robots can be useful tools to study animal locomotion in physical environments. However, present robot actuators can barely reach the high power density of animal muscles. In addition, the differences in the morphologies of motors and muscles lead to differences in the geometry and dynamics between robots and animals. Cable-driven mechanisms offer a promising way to bridge the gap, because they enable more flexible placement of actuators and integration of mechanisms similar to animal musculoskeletal systems.

In this project, the student will refine the design of a cable-driven leg for our salamander robots. The objectives are to reduce the weight and rotational inertia, reduce the size, and increase output torque along different axes. The design needs to be rigorously tested in a standalone setup and on the real robot.