昆虫の３次元触角運動を模倣した匂い源探索ロボットの開発

抄録

Insects have an excellent odor source searching ability and move their long antennae bearing odor receptors to search for the odor source. In previous research of odor searching robot with insect inspired artificial antennae (gas sensor arrays), the antenna movement was limited in horizontal plane, therefore, it could not acquire odor information in a vertical plane. In this study, we developed an odor searching mobile robot with three-dimensionally movable artificial antennae. The antenna bearing three gas sensors on each side was actuated in both horizontally and vertically by two servo motors. In an odor (ethanol) flow, the artificial antenna successfully detects the height of odor flow with vertical antenna movement. Furthermore, oscillatory movement of the antenna showed instantaneously higher sensor output compared to that in a fixed antenna angle. These results suggested that the three-dimensional movement expand the odor searching ability of mobile robots.