First Prototype of the new tensegrity robot, ULTRA Spine RP

Our lab has recently constructed the first prototype of our robot for flexible quadruped backbones, the ULTRA Spine (Underactuated Lightweight Tensegrity Robotic Assistive Spine) RP, rapid prototyping version. We’ve tested some initial motion of the robot, too! Our team is hard at work on a next revision of the hardware.

Many thanks to our team of researchers, including undergraduate Ankita Joshi and recent graduate Zeerek Ahmad.

The first iteration of the ULTRA Spine RP robot. Top: passive, unactuated spine vertebra. Bottom: actuated, active vertebra.
The first iteration of the ULTRA Spine RP robot. Top: passive, unactuated spine vertebra. Bottom: actuated, active vertebra.

For more information about this project, check out this recent research paper:

http://proceedings.asmedigitalcollection.asme.org/proceeding.aspx?articleid=2483635