Optimal Design of Flexible-Link Mechanisms With Desired Load-Displacement Profiles

Robot mechanisms that exploit compliance can perform complex tasks under uncertainty using simple control strategies, but it remains difficult to design mechanisms with a desired embodied intelligence. In this article, we propose an automated design technique that optimizes the desired load-displacement behavior of planar flexible-link mechanisms. To do so, we replace a subset of rigid with flexible links in an existing mechanism, and optimize their rest shape. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach on a set of examples, including two fabricated prototypes, illustrating applications for grasping and locomotion tasks.