Mechatronic Design and Control of an Underactuated Brachiation Robot

Brachiation is a form of locomotion special for monkeys and gibbons, swinging from one handhold to other using arms.
In this thesis, we will address the mechatronic design and optimal locomotion of an underactuated brachiation robot. The system was designed as an underactuated system with fewer actuated joints than its degrees of freedom. The robot is composed of two links and one joint with unactuated grippers. Brachiation through a horizontally-laid ladder with equal distance of rigid bars will be addressed in this thesis. For smooth locomotion, a safe electrical circuit, a frictionless design, proper inertia of the links, and the shape of the hook are crucial. Trajectory optimization in the presence of the constraint plays a significant role in successful brachiation. A model-based approach will be used for the stabilization of the proposed optimal trajectory.  Hence, we need to have a relatively accurate model, and parameter identification is needed to achieve a proper stabilization performance.