Development of an origami-based robot molting structure

Abstract

Inspired by the molting behavior of living organisms, this paper describes a molting robot structure with a self-repair function. In past robot self-repair methods, the strength after repair was usually lower than before the repair. To realize a robot that can repeatedly repair its exterior while maintaining its quality, the replacement exterior that becomes the new outer skin is folded like origami and enclosed inside the robot. During the repair, the outer exterior can be replaced by extracting the replacement exterior from inside the robot. A prototype of the proposed molting structure was experimentally tested and its proper operation was confirmed. In addition, a honeycomb structure was combined with a bellows structure to improve the strength of the outer skin.