US 12,064,869 B2
Morphable inertial appemdage, systems and associated methods
Kwok Wai Samuel Au, Hong Kong (CN); Jiajun An, Hubei (CN); Xiangyu Chu, Hunan Province (CN); Tsz Yin Chung, Hong Kong (CN); Chun Ho Lo, Hong Kong (CN); Hoi Wut Yip, Hong Kong (CN); and Carlos Ma, Hong Kong (CN)
Assigned to The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR (CN)
Filed by The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (CN)
Filed on Feb. 25, 2020, as Appl. No. 16/801,005.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/810,258, filed on Feb. 25, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0298425 A1, Sep. 24, 2020
Int. Cl. B25J 18/02 (2006.01); B25J 18/04 (2006.01)
CPC B25J 18/025 (2013.01) [B25J 18/04 (2013.01)] 17 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A morphable inertial appendage system attachable to a host robotic locomotion system configured for movement from one place to another, the system comprising:
a morphable appendage supported at a proximal end and extending to a distal end, wherein the appendage is morphable between an extended configuration and a retracted configuration; and
an actuator system operably coupled to the appendage and configured to control movement of the appendage along one or more degrees of freedom so as to impart inertial forces on the robotic locomotion system when attached to the morphable appendage thereby improving movement of the robotic location system as compared to operation of the locomotion system without the imparted inertial forces.