When hydraulics is the star — the Mantis walking robot
Posted by
Paul Heney+ on Tuesday, June 4, 2013 ·
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The last time we wrote something about a multi-legged robot—
the Plustech Walking Forest Machine—the post went viral. Maybe because the thing looked like it was straight out of the movie Avatar.
Well, maybe the world is getting a little more like James Cameron’s
future every day … because some interesting news just surfaced about the
use of hydraulics in Mantis, the largest operational all-terrain
hexapod robot. Mantis is making an appearance at a forestry expo in
Sweden this month. The 9-ft robot, which can be driven remotely or
piloted from the machine’s cockpit, took four years to develop and
features Bosch Rexroth fluid power components.
The company says that 18 Rexroth 4WREE6 valves provide the integral
function of controlling the hydraulic cylinders that operate Mantis’ six
legs. Each leg features three independent closed-loop axes—one at the
knee and two at the hip—with feedback provided by sensors installed on
the outside of the leg.
Mantis is the brainchild of chief designer Matt Denton, managing
director of Micromagic Systems, who created the computer controls that
give the machine its high functionality. These include the ability to
move omni-directionally (forwards/backwards, crab left/right, turn
left/right), climb over uneven ground and raise and lower on command.
“I’d been making smaller hexapod robots for a number of years for use
in the film and TV industries as well as for private collectors,”
Denton said. “I felt that if I could scale up the machine to the point
where it could carry a person that, as well as demonstrating what is
possible with current technologies and British engineering, there could
be further applications both in the film industry and other sectors,
such as unmanned subsea exploration, and work in environments that are
sensitive to terrain damage.”
“I was aware of Bosch Rexroth valves from their use in special
effects on films I’d worked on in the past. … [sector manager Nigel
Hart] provided assistance and advice on the hydraulic design of
circuits, safety considerations, reducing the reservoir size and
cooling. What impressed me most about the Bosch Rexroth valves, and
proved essential to the functionality of the machine, was the smooth and
accurate control they provide.”
Mantis also features a Rexroth A10VO63DFR
pump,
typically used in booms and cranes that supplies the robot’s hydraulic
power. Fitted with load sensing, the pump ensures only the right flow
and pressure is delivered, reducing overall power consumption.
“Mantis is a fantastic demonstration of what can be achieved with
today’s technology. It is also indicative of the significant changes
that have happened throughout the industry over the past 10-15 years,”
said Nigel Hart, sector manager for Marine and Offshore at Bosch Rexroth
U.K. “Now even the most simple of components come with intelligence
that allows it to perform a variety of functions and adapt to a number
of applications.”
Bosch Rexroth
www.boschrexroth.com
Mantis
www.mantisrobot.com
The pool table is licensed from Ford,
and it will make its debut at the 2010 Barret-Jackson Auto Auction. The
pool table is available for pre-orders for $14995. 
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