Past Events

Graduate Group:

First Place - "An In-situ Collaborative Robot for Manufacturing in Confined Spaces", Andrew L. Orekhov, Garrison L. H. Johnston, Colette Abah, Vanderbilt University

Some manufacturing tasks require workers to operate in confined spaces, which can be dangerous due to a lack of access and are physically demanding for workers due to unergonomic postures. A collaborative robot could alleviate these burdens, but existing robotic systems are not suitable for this application due to a lack of ability to reach deep into confined spaces and a lack of passive and active safety measures. In this project, we present an in-situ collaborative robot that seeks to address the unique challenges of collaborative manufacturing in confined spaces. The design consists of statically-balanced revolute joints for improving load-carrying capacity and passive safety, continuum segments with modular tendon actuation for enhanced dexterity, and multi-modal sensing disks to enable mapping of the environment, contact localization, and physical interaction with the robot. We present the mechanical design and analysis of these design features as well as their integration with the robot’s sensing and control electronics.

G1-Video.mp4

2nd place - "A High Precision Mirror Symmetric XY Positioner", Jiaxiang Zhu, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland

This project presents a new XY compliant positioner using mirror-symmetry without increasing its footprint, mainly aiming to reduce the undesired parasitic rotations of input and output motion stages. In an XY compliant positioner, the parasitic motion refers to the in-plane rotational yaw of a rigid stage, which is inherent with the primary motion that must be suppressed by design since it can not be compensated by control. The concept of higher degree of stiffness centre symmetry is deployed to tackle the parasitic rotations, leading to a multi-layer compact XY positioner design with each layer being a rotation-symmetrical design. A nonlinear and analytical model of the proposed XY positioner is derived using free body diagrams and the Beam Constrained Model (BCM) to accurately analyse its performance characteristics over a large range of motion. The designed XY positioner is then verified by the nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) method and a prototype is fabricated for experiment verification. Finally, the proposed multi-layer design is comprehensively compared with the well-received single-layer rotation-symmetrical design. It is shown in the new design that the parasitic rotations of input and output stages along with the actuator isolation are significantly reduced and that the out-of-plane-stiffness is also significantly increased. This XY compliant positioner is expected to be used for medical industry, laser micro-machining, optics and photonics setups and semiconductor metrology where high precision is required.

A High Precision Mirror Symmetric XY Positioner.mp4

3rd place: A Modular, Open-Source Continuum Manipulator for Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles, Justin Sitler, Stevens Institute of Technology

Continuum manipulators are a class of robots with many degrees of freedom, leading to highly flexible motion with natural compliance. These attributes make them well-suited for manipulation tasks and interaction with the environment. However, these robots have been underutilized for mobile robot manipulation. A high impact yet challenging field for exploring continuum robot designs is free-floating underwater manipulation. In this paper, we propose a modular cable-driven continuum robot for free-floating underwater manipulation and present a corresponding kinematics, control, and computation framework. The mechanical design consists of a continuum arm, an actuation unit, and waterproof enclosure. The kinematics model is introduced as two mappings between three spaces: the joint space, the configuration space, and the task space. The differential kinematics for each mapping is also derived.The electronics system design is explained, along with the communication framework between the central computer, on-board electronics, and auxiliary motors and sensors. Future improvements to the design include integration with the free-floating remotely operated vehicle (ROV) platform and development of more advanced controls and planning for specific tasks.

G5-Video.mp4

Undergraduate Group:

1st place - "Heavy Lift and Carry Exoskeleton", Hunter Andrieu, Nabra Asgedom, Sarah Bresnahan, Sanghyeon Chang, Bonham Ekleberry, Sara Elnahhas, Nathan Folta, Adam Hinson, John Kuempel, Brita Lyons, Jakob Lyons, Austin Petty, Ben Wardach, Zhao Yu, Virginia Tech

Repetitive and heavy lifting is one of the leading causes of injury in the workplace. This affects individuals in many industries, but is a distinct problem in manufacturing and logistics settings including stocking, construction, and distribution. The aim of this project is to design a pneumatic full-body exoskeleton suit to be used by any able-bodied person who lifts heavy objects. This will mitigate the risk of injury while allowing them to perform their tasks with reduced physical exertion by artificially increasing their strength and endurance. This team has designed, built, and will test a full-body exoskeleton suit that compensates the weight of an object up to 40 pounds in per arm. This team’s design differs from other industrial exoskeleton designs in that it minimizes the number of actuators present, resulting in reduced cost of production and simplification of the design and control processes.

U5-Video.mp4

2nd place - "Design, Fabrication, and Verification of a Compliant Ankle Rehabilitation Robot (Flex-ARR)", Adam Kim, University of Michigan

Flex-ARR is a novel ankle rehabilitation robot that can provide plantarflexion/dorsiflexion and inversion/eversion of the ankle joint for therapeutic exercises. The main intellectual merit of the Flex-ARR is the compliant transmission that mitigates misalignment between the robot’s center of rotation and the user’s center of rotation. Additionally, a novel alignment tool is used during the installation process of the user’s foot into the robot to help further reduce misalignment. Reducing misalignment between the robot’s center of rotation and the user’s center of rotation is critical in preventing reaction loads from potentially overstraining the user’s ankle joint. Special emphasis was given to safety mechanisms and adjustment features in the Flex-ARR design to further improve the safety and comfort of the user during a therapy session.

U1-Video.mp4

3rd place - "Coupled Finger Robot", Jacob Shapiro, University of Notre Dame

This robot will closely replicate the motion of a human finger by coupling the movement of the middle and distal linkages. Unless double-jointed, a human cannot independently move the end link of the finger without also moving the middle link. This robot will mechanically replicate this relationship without the use of an additional actuator. Instead, the joint will be constructed as a flexible four-bar mechanism, 3D printed from TPU. Spherical four-bar mechanisms, driven by DC motors, will be used to actuate the other two finger joints. The finger will be fabricated from 3D printed PLA and controlled using an RC controller.

U6-Video.mp4

First Place - "LaparoVision: An In Vivo Laparoscopic Wiper Mechanism," Jacob Sheffield, Amanda Lytle and Jake Hunter, Brigham Young University

Over the past hundred years, surgeons have performed millions of laparoscopic surgeries on humans. During most of these laparoscopic surgeries, the laparoscope must be removed several times from the patient's body for the lens to be cleaned. This common practice is not only costly in terms of time and money but can be dangerous to the patient. Several scientists, doctors, and entrepreneurs have tried to develop solutions to this problem; however, relatively few products are on the market while even fewer are being used by surgeons today. The purpose of this project is to develop and present the benefits of a fully compliant, laparoscopic lens cleaner. Our design will be a minimal, disposable wiper mechanism that can be easily mounted to the end of a laparoscope. With simple actuation from without the body, our mechanism will clear blood, debris, and other splatter from the laparoscope lens in vivo. We believe that this small, injection-molded compliant wiper addition will save hospitals’ money, surgeons’ time, and patients’ bodies.

Second Place - "A Novel Design for a Cable-Driven Parallel Robot with Full-Circle End-Effector Rotations," Marceau Métillon, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

This project addresses the design and manufacturing of a Cable-Driven Parallel Robot with full-circle end-effector rotations. The motivation of this project is to design a Cable-Driven Parallel Robot that can carry a camera for applications such as surveillance, inspection or control. For such applications, it is important that the robot covers large workspaces both in translation and in rotation. In particular, we wish to achieve a large rotational workspace by actuating the robot using cable-loops. A top plate and a parallel spherical wrist compose the moving platform of the robot. The parallel spherical wrist concept relies on the Atlas1 platform principle. A end-effector is linked to the base of the wrist using a spherical joint. Three omniwheels are linked to the wrist base with revolute joints. The end-effector is a sphere actuated by the rotation of the omni-wheels. Cable loops remotely drive the end-effector in an overall 9-dof motion. During this project, a complete mechanical embodiment of the concept was realized allowing its experimental validation. Efforts were made to simplify the design in order to facilitate the manufacturing of a prototype. Finally the prototype was manufactured and assembled using the laboratory mechanical facilities and first motions were performed.

Third Place - "Tangent Four-Point Radiation: Liquid-Activated Doubly-Curved Shaping of Layered Flexible Membranes," Hunter Pruett, Brigham Young University

The mechanism is a laminate consisting of two water-permeable relatively inextensible membranes sandwiching a layer of superabsorbent polymer (SAP). When said laminate comes in contact with water, the laminate inflates per expansion of the SAP, creating a pillowing or tube-like shape, depending on the boundary connecting the membrane laminae. By imposing intermediate boundaries in the laminate, the laminate can achieve a number of interesting and useful shapes. Concentric boundaries result in an expansion that is analogous to the circular origami hypar. Concentric boundaries can be arranged such that the resulting expansion is analogous to Salkowski curves. The strategic arrangement and union of such Salkowski curves can produce an expansion that unifies two partial circular hypar shapes with a trough. Such an arrangement was used to create a diaper pad that reduces sag and improves shape conformance in diapers.

Graduate Category

  1. "A Novel Two Finger Gripper With Adjustable Stiffness", Sri Sadhan Jujjavarapu, University at Buffalo

  2. "The OriGuide: An Origami-Inspired Anti-Buckling Support for Medical Robotics”, Brandon Sargent and Jared Butler, Brigham Young University

  3. "Design, Prototyping and Testing of a Novel Variable Stiffness Compliant Robotic Gripper with Jamming Sheets”, Yuan Gao, Ohio State University

  4. "A Novel Variable Geometrical Structure Robot Hand for Linear-parallel Pinching and Self-Adaptive Grasping”, Chao Luo, Siyun Liu, Hong Fu, and Yixin Wang, Tsinghua University

Undergraduate Category

  1. "Dog Mimicking Mechanism”, Mostafa Sedky, Sarah El Feqy, Mohamed Abdallah, and Fares Fawzi, Mariam Hegazy, American University of Cairo

  2. "Design and Implementation of Autonomous Amphibious Robot for Water Surface Cleaning”, Iremanaz Cay, Sinem Sena Ertas, Moustafa Bekir, Merve Bosna, Istanbul Zaim University

  3. "Automatic Anti-Stall System for Aircrafts (AASSA) with Release Mechanism”, Youssef Emad Ahmed and Abdullah Medhat Aly, American University of Cairo

SMRDC 2018 - Graduate Category

First Place - "Novel Pin Array Universal Grippers for Self-adaptation and Dense-contact Grasping”, An Mo, Jingwei Su, Chao Luo and Hong Fu, Tsinghua University

Conventional grippers are designed for specific applications. They often encounter difficulties when grasping different objects in unstructured environments. This paper introduces two pin array grippers to challenge the universal grasp capability. By studying the pin motion to build lateral contacts with object, translation and expansion of pin are found optimal. Based on the two motions, two pin array grippers are proposed accordingly. Concentric pin array gripper enhances versatility by orbital translation of pins. Meshed pin array gripper accomplishes high pin density by the novel non-circular pin section mechanism. Through analytical models, simulations and experiments, the feasibility of pin array grippers is validated.

Second Place - ​“A Self-Deployable Self-Stiffening and Retractable Space Structure (SDSR) Mechanism”, Nathan Pehrson and Sam Smith, Brigham Young University


Third Place - ​“Retractable Anti-Buckling Support Tube for Medical Robotics”, Brandon Sargent and Nathan Brown, Brigham Young University​

The Zipper Tube Reinforcement (ZTR) is a device used to mitigate buckling in long-slender devices commonly used in minimally invasive surgeries. The ZTR supports the device by creating a cylindrical tube that allows a higher compressive axial load before buckling during device insertion. The also ZTR utilizes a face-to-face zipper that enables the tube to be retracted, flattened, and wound onto a mandrel for storage.

SMRDC 2018 - Undergraduate Category

First Place - ​“VGT ROBOT: A Novel Obstacle-avoiding Pipeline Robot with Variable Geometry Truss”, Wenxiang Zhao, Guojie Hua, Juewei He, Xiongbin, Tsinghua University

Pipeline robot is a kind of special robot, which is used in pipeline detection and maintenance for the petroleum, natural gas and other pipeline environment. The traditional pipe robot cannot adapt to the non-structural pipes with complicated and changeable section, and the ability to avoid obstacles is limited. This paper designed a novel obstacle-avoiding pipeline robot with variable geometry trusses, which can overcome those defects through its deformation characteristics. This robot’s structure is based on the configuration of variable geometry truss, which has the advantages of lightweight, high stiffness and modularity. High stiffness makes the robot adapt to complex working conditions, and truss structure makes full use of space to place instruments in it. Meanwhile modular design greatly improved the scalability of the robot, which ensures the robot a broad application prospect.

Second Place - ​“A Novel Worm-inspired Wall Climbing Robot with Sucker-microspine Composite Structure”, Wenhao Yang, Chengle Yang, Ruijie Zhang, Tsinghua University

In recent years, with the popularity of automation equipment, more and more work has been replaced by the advanced and convenient equipment. However, existing equipment tends to remain on the level of the ground work, and many uncomplicated vertical wall surface work. Therefore, in order to solve the difficult problems faced by the existing automation equipment commonly encountered on the wall, a large number of robots with wall climbing function have been designed and developed. However, their principles are often not mature, and the performance is difficult to meet large-scale applications. For example, existing wheeled robots are very noisy and have insufficient load capacity which can only be equipped with light weight devices. Others use microscopic viscous materials or magnetic materials to complete the adsorption of climbing wall robots while the charge energy reaches kilograms per square. However, the performance is affected by the wall material, and only works on smooth surfaces. At the same time, due to the adsorption force of the foot that lifts itself when the robot climbs, even if the suction force is reduced by the methods of cutting and lifting, the body still has to bear a large internal force, causing serious jitter during the operation.

Third Place - ​“DSCL Hand: A Novel Linear Parallel and Self-adaptive Underactuated Robot Hand”, Xiaofeng Guo, Yunwei Xiang, Hu Yan, Tsinghua University

A novel linear parallel and self- adaptive underactuated robot hand, called DSCL Hand. Targeting for objects of different sizes, shapes and poses, DSCL Hand achieves two grasp modes with only one actuator: 1) linear parallel pinch for precise grasping; 2) self-adaptive grasp for firm grasping. Particular attention is given to the linear parallel pinching mode, where the trajectory of fingertip is a straight line. It is important for precise grasping and realized by the novel double slider co-circular linkage mechanisms. The switch of grasping modes is mechanically automatic without complex sensors or control. Kinematics analysis, grasping force analysis, motion simulation and prototype experiments verify the versatility of the proposed DSCL Hand.

SMRDC 2013

Mechanisms - Graduate Category

  1. "Assured Safety Drill with Bi-Stable Bit Retraction Mechanism", Paul Loschak, Hao Pei, and Kecha Xiao, Harvard University

  2. "Second Place: Monolithic Two-Degree-of-Freedom Pointing Mechanism (The Hepta-Flex)", Ezekiel G. Merriam, Brigham Young University

  3. "A Contact-aided Composite Compliant Mechanism to Clamp and Stretch Soft Objects", Santosh Bhargav, present online from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore

Mechanisms - Undergraduate Category

  1. "ORICEPS Origami-Inspired Robotic Forceps", Clayton Grames, Bryce Edmondson, Eric Call, Landen Bowen, Terri Bateman, Brigham Young University

  2. "3D-Printable Compliant Control Valve", Weston Baxter, Zach Brough, Mitch Hortin, Joshua Kuhn, Jason Lund, Brigham Young University

  3. "Design of a Flapping Wing Micro Air Vehicle", Jeff Kohler, Ohio State University

Robotics - Graduate Category

  1. "A Quasi-Passive Compliant Stance Control Knee-Ankle-Foot Orthosis", Kamran Shamaei, Yale University

  2. "Development of a Compliant Robotic Arm for Sensitive Manipulation", Nigel Cochran, Worcester polytechnic Institute

  3. "A Gyroscopic Actuator for Turning Humanoid Robots", Andrew Boddiford, Charlie Manion, Kwan Suk-Kim, Pradeep Radhakrishnan , University of Texas at Austin

Robotics - Undergraduate Category

  1. "Remote Controlled Robotic Firefighting System", Robert Richardson, Christopher Graf, Devon Hall, Matthew Lubaszka, Julianne Rudmann, College of New Jersey

  2. "Underactuated End Effector with Novel Linkage System for Full-Sized Humanoid Robot", Michael Rouleau, Michael Heller, Matthew Frauenthal, Virginia Tech

  3. "Small Autonomous Monitoring Platform for Lakes and Estuaries", Moustapha Diab, Uche Ezechi, University of Maryland Eastern Shore


SMRDC 2012

​Mechanisms - Graduate Division

  1. "A Large-Displacement Compliant Rotational Hinge", Robert Fowler, Brigham Young University

  2. "A Tri-state Rigid Reversible and Non- Back-Drivable Docking Mechanism for Modular Robotics Applications", Paul Mubarak, George Washington University

  3. "Adjustable stiffness structure Mechanism Using an Endoskeleton", Tae Myung Huh and Yong-Jai Park, Seoul National University

  4. "Underactuated Passive and Adaptive Gripper using Flexure Buckling", Gwang-Pil Jung, Seoul National University

  5. "Zero Stiffness Linear Motion with Large Orthogonal and Out-of-plane Stiffness", Nima Tolou, Delft University of Technology

Robotics - Graduate

  1. "Miniature In Vivo Surgical Robot for Single-Incision Surgery", Jack Mondry, Thomas Frederick, Eric Markvicka, and Joseph Bartels, University of Nebraska-Lincoln"

  2. A single motor actuated miniature steerable jumping robot", Jianguo Zhao, Michigan State University

  3. "REconfigurable MObile Robot for manufacturing Applications (REMORA)", Yang Hai, UM2/CNRS

  4. "Kraken", Marcello Calisti and Andrea Arienti, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, Italy

Robotics - Undergraduate

  1. "Oryx 2.0: A Mobility Platform for Analog Planetary Exploration ", Joseph Amato, Jon Anderson, Thomas Carlone, and Michael Fagan, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

  2. "Highly-Anthropomorphic-Grasping Under-Actuated Robotic Hand with Naturally Coupled States", Chi Zhang, Bowen Li, Ye Kuang, and Jian Jin, Tsinghua University