Recently, the robotic hand sector is widely utilized throughout the entire machine industry, where gripping mechanism is gradually becoming more complex and standardized. In this study, studies were conducted to hold irregular, unstructured objects with simpler, more manageable operating principles based on compliant mechanics. In fact, it used the principle of buckling which is not commonly used in mechanical design to provide stable grasping force without giving any damage to objects with uncertain magnitude and rigidity. By using CFM(constant force mechanism) based on the principle of buckling, the force of the object and the contact surface is fixed evenly across the segments, providing a stable grasping force to the object. Also, a bar that serves as a linear guide prevents the hand from buckling to unwanted direction gives elaboration to the hand. With a simpler principle, the lower unit price and higher applicability, there is little friction in the mechanism, and it focused on creating a lightweight hand, which have significance for about 90% of excellent gripping performance.

This study presents the possibility of control of nano-fluidics in the bio-inspired nano-sized ion channel using a field effect transistor (FET) structure. We analyzed effects from main dominant factors to control the ion flow in nano-sized channel such as electro-osmosis, Diffusion effect, Coulomb force between ions and pressure force. Additionally, we suggest a strategy to control the ion flow accurately at the specific position in the nano channel by handling the viscosity, ion molecular density, pressure, gate and trans-cis voltages of FET structure.

This paper presents mechanical design and control of a bio-inspired legged robot. To achieve a fast legged running mechanism, a novel linkage leg structure is designed based on hind legs of domestic cats. The skeletomuscular system and parallel leg movement of a cat are analyzed and applied to determine the link parameters. The hierarchical control architecture is designed according to the biological data to generate and modulate desired gaits. The effectiveness of the leg mechanism design and control is verified experimentally. The legged robot runs at a speed of 46 km/h, which is comparatively higher speed than other existing legged robots.

In This study, the bio-inspired high energy absorption cementitious composites was developed which is a new structural material performing a high energy absorption and ductility property imitated from shells. The flexural performance of the cementitious composites was evaluated and as a result, excellent ductility was obtained.

This paper describes the design concept of a bio-inspired legged underwater and estimating its performance by implementing simulations. Especially the leg structure of an underwater organism, diving beetles, is fully adopted to our designing to employ its efficiency for swimming. To make it possible for the robot to both walk and swim, the transformable kinematic model according to applications of the leg is proposed. To aid in the robot development and estimate swimming performance of the robot in advance, an underwater simulator has been constructed and an approximated model based on the developing robot was set up in the simulation. Furthermore, previous work that we have done, the swimming locomotion produced by a swimming patten generator based on the control parameters, is briefly mentioned in the paper and adopted to the simulation for extensive studies such as path planning and control techniques. Through the results, we established the strategy of leg joints which make the robot swim in the three dimensional space to reach effective controls.

In nature, many small insects are using jumping as a survival strategy. Among them, fleas jump in a unique method. They use an elastomer, 'Resilin’, an extensor muscle and a trigger muscle. By contracting the extensor muscle, the elastic energy, that makes a flea to jump, is stored in the resilin. After storing energy, the trigger muscle begins contracting and pulling the extensor muscle. When the extensor muscle crosses the rotational joint, direction of torque generated from the extensor muscle reverses, ‘torque reversal mechanism’. Simultaneously, the elastic energy stored in the resilin releases rapidly and is converted into the kinetic energy. It makes a flea to jump 150 times its body length. In this paper, miniaturized jumping robot using flea-inspired catapult mechanism is presented. This mechanism is based on the 4-bar linkage and the reversal joint and is actuated by Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) coiled springs describing the flea’s muscle. The robot prototype is fabricated by SCM process using glass fiber prepregs and a sheet of polyimide film. The prototype is 20mm link length, 34mm width and 2.0g weight and can jump 103cm.