Publication type: Article in scientific journal
Type of review: Peer review (publication)
Title: Morphological control : a design principle for applications in space science
Authors: Füchslin, Rudolf Marcel
Dumont, Elisabeth
Flumini, Dandolo
Fuchs, Hans Ulrich
Hauser, Helmut
Jaeger, Christian
Scheidegger, Stephan
Schönenberger-Deuel, Johanna
Lichtensteiger, Lukas
Luchsinger, Rolf H.
Weyland, Mathias
Published in: Journal of the British Interplanetary Society
Volume(Issue): 67
Page(s): 305
Pages to: 313
Issue Date: 2014
Publisher / Ed. Institution: British Interplanetary Society
ISSN: 0007-084X
Language: English
Subjects: Morphological control; Morphological computation; Soft robots; Tensairity; Space flight
Subject (DDC): 004: Computer science
620: Engineering
Abstract: Designing robots for applications in space flight requires a different prioritization of design criteria than for systems operating on Earth. In this article, we argue that the field of soft robotics offers novel approaches meeting the specific requirements of space flight. We present one especially promising construction principle, so called Tensairity, in some detail. Tensairity, as the name suggests, takes ideas from Tensegrity, but uses inflatable structures instead of cables and struts. Soft robots pose substantial challenges with respect to control. One way to meet these challenges is given by the concept of morphological computation and control. Morphological computation can be loosely defined as the exploitation of the shape, material properties, and dynamics of a physical system to improve the efficiency of computation and to deal with systems for which it is difficult to construct a virtual representation using a kinematic model. We discuss fundamental aspects of morphological control and their relevance for space flight. Besides low weight, small consumption of space in the inactive state and advantageous properties with respect to intrinsic safety and energy consumption, we discuss how the blurring of the discrimination of hard- and software leads to control strategies that require only very little and very simple electronic circuitry (which is beneficial in an environment with high irradiation). Finally, we present a research strategy that bundles activities in space flight with research and development in medicine, especially for support systems for an aging population, that are faced with similar morphological computing challenges to astronauts. Such a combination meets the demands for research that is not only effective, but also efficient with respect to economic resources.
URI: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014JBIS...67..305F
https://digitalcollection.zhaw.ch/handle/11475/3424
Fulltext version: Published version
License (according to publishing contract): Licence according to publishing contract
Departement: School of Engineering
Appears in collections:Publikationen School of Engineering

Files in This Item:
There are no files associated with this item.
Show full item record
Füchslin, R. M., Dumont, E., Flumini, D., Fuchs, H. U., Hauser, H., Jaeger, C., Scheidegger, S., Schönenberger-Deuel, J., Lichtensteiger, L., Luchsinger, R. H., & Weyland, M. (2014). Morphological control : a design principle for applications in space science. Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, 67, 305–313. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014JBIS...67..305F
Füchslin, R.M. et al. (2014) ‘Morphological control : a design principle for applications in space science’, Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, 67, pp. 305–313. Available at: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014JBIS...67..305F.
R. M. Füchslin et al., “Morphological control : a design principle for applications in space science,” Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, vol. 67, pp. 305–313, 2014, [Online]. Available: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014JBIS...67..305F
FÜCHSLIN, Rudolf Marcel, Elisabeth DUMONT, Dandolo FLUMINI, Hans Ulrich FUCHS, Helmut HAUSER, Christian JAEGER, Stephan SCHEIDEGGER, Johanna SCHÖNENBERGER-DEUEL, Lukas LICHTENSTEIGER, Rolf H. LUCHSINGER und Mathias WEYLAND, 2014. Morphological control : a design principle for applications in space science. Journal of the British Interplanetary Society [online]. 2014. Bd. 67, S. 305–313. Verfügbar unter: http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014JBIS...67..305F
Füchslin, Rudolf Marcel, Elisabeth Dumont, Dandolo Flumini, Hans Ulrich Fuchs, Helmut Hauser, Christian Jaeger, Stephan Scheidegger, et al. 2014. “Morphological Control : A Design Principle for Applications in Space Science.” Journal of the British Interplanetary Society 67: 305–13. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014JBIS...67..305F.
Füchslin, Rudolf Marcel, et al. “Morphological Control : A Design Principle for Applications in Space Science.” Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, vol. 67, 2014, pp. 305–13, http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2014JBIS...67..305F.


Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.