Design of a Single Actuator Compliant Hexapod

Master Thesis (2025)
Author(s)

J.J.M. van der Marel (TU Delft - Mechanical Engineering)

Contributor(s)

D. Farhadi Farhadi – Mentor (TU Delft - Mechatronic Systems Design)

Farbod Alijani – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Dynamics of Micro and Nano Systems)

Cosimo Della Santina – Graduation committee member (Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering)

Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
More Info
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Publication Year
2025
Language
English
Graduation Date
30-09-2025
Awarding Institution
Delft University of Technology
Programme
['Mechanical Engineering']
Faculty
Mechanical Engineering
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Abstract

Scaling down robots is a challenge that requires innovative design approaches. Current locomotion robots are often dependent on complex actuation schemes or multiple actuators, which limits their miniaturization. Integrating control of a mechanism into the body instead of using complex electrical control architectures can contribute greatly to the scalability of locomotion robots. This research proposes a compliant mechanism that converts a rectilinear input into a closed-loop End Effector (EE) trajectory. Six of these mechanisms are connected through a compliant transmission to form a walking hexapod with a tripod gait. The result is a robot where a single linear actuator creates a walking gait with zero internal friction. This research hereby paves the way towards scalable locomotion robots with a simple control architecture.

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File under embargo until 01-10-2027