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"Unicycle" cobot, the simplest possible architecture. It consists of a single wheel steered by a motor. Despite its simplicity, the unicycle cobot is able to demonstrate the two essential control modes: "free" mode in which the wheel is steered such as to transparently comply with the user's desired direction of motion, and "virtual surface" mode in which the wheel is steered such as to confine the user's motion to a software-defined guiding surface. Also available as large jpeg or large gif |
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"Scooter", a three-wheeled cobot. In "free" mode Scooter can allow arbitrary motion in three coordinates: x, y, and theta. Scooter can also display software-defined guiding surfaces which are one or two dimensional. Also available as large jpeg or large gif |
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"Tetrahedral CVT", or Continuously Variable Transmission. The angular velocities of the two shafts on the left are coupled via a transmission ratio which is set by the angle of the steering rollers on the right. This device is the analog of the rolling wheel that is used in translational cobots such as Scooter. Wheels are appropriate for translational motions, but arm-like cobots (having the architecture of today's arm-like robots) will need a device appropriate to revolute motion. Also available as large jpeg or large gif |
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"Extreme Joystick", built by Julio J. Santos-Munné, presents virtual surfaces and other haptic effects in rotational space. |
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Witaya Wannasuphoprasit, with Scooter. Also available as jpeg, 2x, 4x, 8x, huge
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Arm cobot, uses three revolute joints coupled by three CVTs in the base. Under construction by Carl Moore. Also available as large tiff, large jpeg |
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Door unloader scooter-like cobot, at General Motors Also available as very large tiff, large jpeg |
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Carl Moore, with tetrahedral CVT prototype Also available as large jpeg
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First human passenger on a cobot, November 12, 1996 |
