Ibex Curved Surface Robot by Yeh Wen Tan |
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| DESIGN DETAILS | |||||
| DESIGN NAME: Ibex PRIMARY FUNCTION: Curved Surface Robot INSPIRATION: The inspiration from Ibex came from a problem faced by vertical robots, being the ability to negotiate curvatures smaller than a certain size. While robot systems have been designed smaller in order to negotiate curves of a certain diameter, such systems are usually too small to carry any substantial payload. Ibex was designed with payload and curvature in consideration. UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Ibex is a wall climbing robot designed with curved surface locomotion in mind. With a flexible suction cup which can be linearly displaced from the suction chamber, Ibex is capable of adhering to surfaces up to 500mm in diameter. Its potential applications include inspection and maintenance of vertical surfaces such as in buildings or ship hulls. OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: When Ibex is turned on, it is first positioned on the target surface. Then, the suction modules are activated, creating a suction force. The suction cups are flexible enough to conform to the curved surface, thus creating a seal for the vacuum chamber. During locomotion, Ibex operates as an unicycle. The suction cups are able to move independently so as not to lose their grip on the surface while moving. PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project started in September 2018 in Singapore |
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The wheel, motors, impellers, electronics and certain structural elements like rods were externally sourced, while other parts were custom designed and 3D printed using FDM PLA, SLS nylon, and SLA resin. 3D printing allowed for rapid prototyping for multiple iterations to meet the project requirements. The various modules of Ibex were designed with ease of assembly in mind with various configurations depending on the situation. This is due to the structural complexities of vertical surfaces. SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: Width 120mm x Length 390mm x Height 210mm TAGS: climbing robot, curved surface propagation robot, curved surface robot, modular, modularity, modular robot, modular climbing robot RESEARCH ABSTRACT: The focus of the research on Ibex is robotics with the research objective of investigating and solving problems inherent with curved surface propagation robots. A survey of twenty over robots was conducted and analysed to understand the underlying problems facing such robots. From this analysis, Ibex was designed to attempt to tackle problems such as proper adhesion and minimising slippage during movement. CHALLENGE: The hardest part of this design activity was designing adhesion modules for various curvatures. For Ibex to be viable, it needs to adapt to a wide range of various curvatures, and should be able to adhere to as small a curvature as possible. This was done by separating the suction cup from the suction chamber. This allows the suction cup to adhere and adapt to various curvatures without being restricted by the shape of the chamber. ADDED DATE: 2021-01-13 05:23:33 TEAM MEMBERS (3) : Designer: Tan Yeh Wen, Dr Rizuwana Parween and Professor Mohan Rajesh Elara IMAGE CREDITS: Image #1 - Creator Tan Yeh Wen, Ibex Side View, 2021 Image #2 - Creator Tan Yeh Wen, Ibex Perspective View, 2021 Image #3 - Creator Tan Yeh Wen, Showcase of Multiple Ibex, 2021 Image #4 - Creator Tan Yeh Wen, Ibex on Pillar with Underside of Ibex on Curved Glass Surface, 2021 Image #5 - Creator Tan Yeh Wen, Ibex on Curved and Flat Glass Surface, 2021 |
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| CLIENT/STUDIO/BRAND DETAILS | |
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NAME: Singapore University of Technology and Design PROFILE: The Singapore University of Technology and Design is established to advance knowledge and nurture technically-grounded leaders and innovators to serve societal needs, with a focus on Design, through an integrated multi-disciplinary curriculum and multi-disciplinary research. |
| AWARD DETAILS | |
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Ibex Curved Surface Robot by Yeh Wen Tan is Runner-up for A' Design Award in Robotics, Automaton and Automation Design Category, 2020 - 2021.· Press Members: Login or Register to request an exclusive interview with Yeh Wen Tan. · Click here to register inorder to view the profile and other works by Yeh Wen Tan. |
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