UM researcher develops robotic insects with ultrahigh agility
澳大學者成功研發高敏捷電子昆蟲機械人

2021-07-02|Tags: , , , |

Inspired by agile insects in nature, a research team led by Prof Zhong Junwen, assistant professor in the Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) of the University of Macau (UM) and a member of the Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics of UM, has developed robotic insects that are only 3cm long with ultrahigh agility and a controlled trajectory. The study has been published in Science Robotics, the top journal in the field of robotics. This is the first time that a research study by Macao scholars has been published in this journal. So far, the journal has published less than ten papers from higher education institutions in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.

In nature, animals that are fast and agile often have a survival advantage. A key fundamental challenge in this study is to develop insect-scale soft robots with ultrahigh agility and good trajectory control comparable to those of real agile insects, and the technical difficulty lies in achieving a fast linear moving speed while maintaining the capability of the robots to make turns. In nature, insects with flexible bodies can dynamically tune the friction force with secretions between their feet and the ground to improve locomotion. In this study, Prof Zhong’s team emulated similar schemes by adjusting the electrostatic force between the robot’s feet and the ground to achieve both ultrahigh agility and a controlled trajectory. The soft robots developed by the team can reach a highest relative centripetal acceleration of 28 body-length/s2, which is better than that of common insects. Through a series of demonstrations, the team has proved that the soft robots can pass through a 120cm-long track in a maze within 5.6 seconds and carry a 180mg on-board sensor to record a gas concentration route map.

Furthermore, the team has also developed an untethered version of the soft robot, which is battery-powered and can complete a 27.9cm-long S-shape path in 36.9 seconds. An important potential application for such robots is that after a disaster such as an earthquake, a large number of these robots can carry sensors that can move swiftly through the rubble and record and transmit valuable information during the search and rescue process. The related paper, Titled ‘Electrostatic Footpads Enable Agile Insect-scale Soft Robots with Trajectory Control’, is the result of collaboration between UM, Tsinghua University, and the University of California, Berkeley.

Prof Zhong obtained a PhD degree in electrical science and engineering from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in 2016. After graduation, he continued with his research at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Japanese Institute of Physics and Chemistry. In recent years, he has published more than 50 academic papers in internationally renowned journals, with a total of over 4,000 citations. His main research interest is flexible electromechanical systems, particularly flexible robots, flexible sensors, and actuators. Full version of the paper can be viewed at:  https://robotics.sciencemag.org/content/6/55/eabe7906

受大自然中敏捷爬行昆蟲的啟發,由澳門大學科技學院助理教授、人工智能機器人研究中心研究成員鍾俊文領導的研究團隊研製了身長僅有3厘米、具高敏捷性與可操控性的電子昆蟲機械人,能在搜索和救援過程中記錄及傳輸有價值的信息。此項研究發表於機械人領域最頂級的國際期刊《科學·機械人學》(Science Robotics)。這是首次有澳門學者的研究獲該期刊刊登,大灣區高等院校的文章獲該刊刊登的數量亦不足10篇。

自然界中,運動敏捷的動物往往具有生存優勢。研製與自然昆蟲一樣敏捷的電子昆蟲是研究小型機械人的一個基礎挑戰。在快速運動過程中,小型機械人需同時擁有優秀的轉彎能力,普通昆蟲可通過分泌粘液來改變腳與地面之間的摩擦力,從而實現快速運動。類似的策略同樣適用於電子昆蟲,但不同的是,是次研究通過調整機械人腳部與於地面間的靜電力來實現高敏捷性和控制運動軌跡。電子昆蟲的相對向心加速度達到28身體長度/秒2,性能勝於目前所有已知的柔性機械人以及普通昆蟲。團隊已進行過多種應用演示,成功證實了電子昆蟲的優秀性能,包括能在5.6秒內通過一個120厘米長的迷宮以及攜帶一個180 mg的氣體傳感器探測氣體洩漏。

此外,研究團隊也研製了由電池驅動的無線版本的電子昆蟲,可以在36.9 秒內走完27.9 厘米長的“S”型路徑。這種機械人的重要潛在應用在,當地震等災難發生後,大量電子昆蟲可以攜帶傳感器在廢墟中敏捷地快速移動,並在搜索和救援過程中記錄和傳輸有價值的信息。相關論文題目為《科學·機械人學》昆蟲尺寸 “柔性機械人擁有的靜電腳掌賦予其高敏捷性與可操控性” (Electrostatic footpads enable agile insect-scale soft robots with trajectory control),是澳門大學、清華大學以及加州大學伯克利分校的合作成果。

鍾俊文於2016年在華中科技大學獲取電氣科學與工程博士學位,畢業後在加州大學伯克利分校和日本理化學研究所開展研究工作。近年在國際知名雜誌發表學術論文50餘篇,所發表文章總引用超過4,000次。研究方向主要是柔性機電系統,其中包括柔性機械人、柔性傳感器及執行器的開發與研究。全文可瀏覽: https://robotics.sciencemag.org/content/6/55/eabe7906

 

Robotic insects with ultrahigh agility

高敏捷電子昆蟲

Prof. Zhong Junwen

鍾俊文

UM FST exhibits graduation projects to promote academia-industry collaboration
澳大科技學院辦畢業成果展促產學研合作

2021-06-24|Tags: , , , , , , |

The University of Macau’s (UM) Faculty of Science and Technology (FST) recently held the Dean’s Final Year Project List Presentation Ceremony and Project Exhibition 2021. The event exhibited 25 selected projects to showcase the students’ learning achievements. Through this event, the university hoped to create a platform for academia-industry exchange, enhance academia-industry collaboration, and promote technology transfer.

According to Wong Pak Kin, associate dean (academic affairs) of the FST, in order to promote the diversification of Macao’s industries, the FST attaches great importance to the training of scientists and researchers. In addition to commending outstanding students, this exhibition aimed to provide a platform for interactions between companies and local institutions of higher education in order to increase opportunities for collaboration and enhance the effectiveness of academia-industry collaboration. Hundreds of student projects have been exhibited since the exhibition was first launched in 2012. Wong added that the FST would continue to promote technological advances through similar activities, and would continue to listen to the feedback from industry to make continuous progress, so that the community could better understand the technological achievements and creative projects of its students.

Following a rigorous selection process, a total of 40 outstanding students from various departments in the faculty, namely the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Department of Computer and Information Science, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, the Department of Electromechanical Engineering, and the Department of Mathematics, were awarded for a total of 25 projects that covered a wide range of fields, including water quality, cultural heritage conservation, environmental and hydraulic engineering, computer graphics and visual computing, software engineering, machine learning, architectural design, power engineering, and artificial intelligence. Nearly 100 corporate management team members, government officials, industry practitioners, professors, and students attended the event to celebrate the scientific achievements of FST graduates.

Guests attending the opening ceremony included Lam Hin San, director of the Transport Bureau; Leong Weng Kun, director of the Meteorological and Geophysics Bureau; Lei Kuong Leong, Head of the Division of Information Technology of CTT; Chan Chou Weng, head of the Technology Application and Support Division of the Economic and Technological Development Bureau; Sam Hio Tong, head of the Division of Quality Assurance of the Education and Youth Development Bureau; Lei Chi Man, chief executive officer of InfoMacro Information Technology Limited; Ao Ieong Chi Wai, chief technology officer of eRS Information Technology Ltd; Lei Kam Kim, director of the Center of Informatics of Civil Engineering Laboratory of Macau; Chan Chee Pong, senior vice president of facilities management of Galaxy Entertainment Group; Candy Ng, associate director of human resources of Sands China Limited; Benjamin Yue, principal advisor of Companhia de Electricidade de Macau; and Liem Tao, senior manager of the Information System and Technology Department of the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center.

澳門大學舉辦“2021年澳門大學科技學院畢業設計院長榮譽榜頒獎典禮暨項目展覽”,展出25件不同領域的入圍作品,多元呈現學生的學習成果。澳大希望透過此活動為學界與業界創造交流平台,促進新一代產學研合作,推動科技成果產業化。

澳大科技學院學術事務副院長王百鍵致辭時表示,為促進本澳多元發展,科技學院一直致力科研人才的培養。是次展覽的目的除了嘉許表現優秀的學生外,更為擴大企業與本地院校的交流創造良好互動,增加雙方共同合作機會,提升產學研合作的效益。展覽自2012年開辦至今,已展出數百件作品。未來將繼續透過此類活動推廣創新科技,汲取業界意見不斷進步,讓社會各界更了解學生的科技與創意成果。

經過學院嚴格遴選,共40位來自土木及環境工程系、電腦及資訊科學系、電機及電腦工程系、機電工程系和數學系的優秀學生獲嘉許,共25件作品入圍,內容橫跨不同領域包括水質研究、文物保育、環境及水力工程、電腦圖學與視覺計算、軟件工程、機器學習、建築設計、電力工程及人工智能等。近百名企業管理層、政府人員、業內人士、教授及學生聚首一堂,共同見證科技學院畢業生4年來的科研成果。

出席展覽的嘉賓包括:交通事務局局長林衍新、地球物理暨氣象局局長梁永權、郵電局資訊科技發展處處長李廣亮、經濟及科技發展局科技應用及支援處處長陳祖榮、教育及青年發展局素質保證處處長岑曉東、萬高信息科技有限公司行政總裁李志文、易研信息科技有限公司技術總監歐陽志威、澳門土木工程實驗室資訊中心主任李錦堅、銀河娛樂集團設備管理高級副總裁陳志邦、金沙中國有限公司人力資源副總監伍家愉、澳門電力股份有限公司執行委員會首席顧問岳宗斌及澳門生產力暨科技轉移中心高級經理林濤。

大合照 Group Photo

畢業生向嘉賓介紹畢業成果
Graduates show the Final Year Projects to guests

嘉賓向學生了解畢業成果
Guests know about the project details from the graduates

Go to Top