Diapositiva 1

1
ICT-2007.8.5 Embodied Intelligence
OCTOPUS
Novel Design Principles and Technologies for a
New Generation of High Dexterity Soft-bodied
Robots Inspired by the Morphology and Behaviour
of the Octopus
An Integrating Project of the ICT-FET Proactive
Initiative EMBODYi (2009 2013)
The Octopus paradigm for embodied intelligence

• No rigid structures capability to squeeze into
  small apertures
• Virtually infinite number of DOF
• All-direction bending
• 194 of elongation of each arm
• Variable and controllable stiffness

• 40N pulling force (1 arm, _at_3/4 of length)
• Manipulation capability with unexpected
  dexterity
• Distributed control (50x106neurons/arm, more
  than in the brain)

• Objectives
• Investigate and understand octopus sensory-motor
  capabilities
• Incorporate them in new design approaches and ICT
  and robotics technologies
• Build an 8-arm-body octopus-like artefact, with
  similar performance in water, in terms of
  dexterity, speed, control, flexibility, and
  applicability

Partnership
SSSA (I) - Coordinator - Scuola Superiore
SantAnna Cecilia Laschi
HUJI (IL) Hebrew University of Jerusalem Binyamin
Hochner
Weizmann (IL) Weizmann Institute of Science Tamar
Flash
New Design Principles and Technologies
UZH (CH) University of Zurich Rolf Pfeifer
IIT (I) Italian Institute of Technology Fabio
Benfenati Darwin Caldwell
UREAD (UK) University of Reading Richard Bonser
FORTH (GR) Foundation for Research and Technology
Hellas Dimitris P. Tsakiris

• Expected Results
• New science and knowledge on the octopus
• New ICT and robotics technologies for sensing,
  actuation and control (soft actuators,
• muscular hydrostats, flexible tactile sensors,
• distributed control, coordination of many DOF,
  
• smart skin, variable stiffness materials)
• An 8-arm octopus-like robot

Project Number 231608 Project Duration 48
months Project Cost 9.745.000 EC
contribution 7.600.000
web site www.octopus-project.eu
e-mail cecilia.laschi_at_sssup.it