Image 1 - Cube-shaped robot that can balance on its pivot with only a single reaction wheel and compensate for external disturbances

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The One-Wheel Cubli

Creator: ETH

Country: Switzerland

Year: 2023

Summary

Cube-shaped robot that can balance on its pivot with only a single reaction wheel and compensate for external disturbances

Status: Prototype, Research

Operation: Autonomous

Robot Type / Domain: Research

Tasks: balance

Learn More

Below is from "Rüegg, P. (2023, March 3). The One-Wheel Cubli balances with only a single reaction wheel. ETH Zurich. Retrieved from https://ethz.ch/en/news-and-events/eth-news/news/2023/03/one-wheel-cubli-with-a-single-reaction-wheel.html"

"It was almost ten years ago that researchers led by ETH robotics professor Raffaello D’Andrea made a splash with a robotic cube that was capable of balancing on its pivot. Multiple reaction wheels in the cube’s interior were able to compensate for disturbances to a certain degree, making it harder to knock off balance. It was also able to jump up and move around via controlled falls.

Now it has a successor: the One-Wheel Cubli. That’s the name D’Andrea’s workshop gave to this new balancing artist. It only requires a single reaction wheel for its balancing act. Instead of additional wheels, it is equipped – like a tightrope walker – with a balancing pole. As a result, the inertias differ in the two directions of motion, allowing the One-Wheel Cubli to stabilize both directions simultaneously. In the latest issue of Mechatronics, the researchers introduce the One-Wheel Cubli."

Technical Specifications

Robot Type: Other, cube-shaped robot

Max. Reach: N/A

Max. Payload: N/A

Weight: 1.94 kg

Weight: 4.277 lbs

Max. Speed: N/A

Max. Slope: N/A

Battery Operated? Yes

Average Runtime: N/A

Max. Runtime: N/A

Battery Recharge Time: N/A

Min. Size: N/A

Max. Size: N/A

Mobility: Stationary, Mobile, Other

Locomotion Type: Other

Number of Axes: N/A

Manipulation: N/A

IP Rating: N/A

Operating Temperature: N/A

Open-source? N/A

Price: N/A

Show more specs

Total length of the cantilever: 1.25 m (measured from one end mass to the other)

Sensors: IMU

Controller & Computing: The motor is operated by a motor controller (EPOS4 50/15 from Maxon) and includes a current controller and tracks commanded torque setpoints. It also includes an overheat protection

Actuators: The reaction wheel is actuated by a brushless electric motor (EC 60 flat 200 W from Maxon). The motor weighs 360 g, is operated at 48 V and can provide a continuous output torque of 0.5 N.m & a peak torque of maximum 3.4 N.m

Power supply: A power supply (SM45-140 from Delta Elektronika) is used to power the motor controller.

No more specs to show.

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References

Hofer, M., Muehlebach, M., & D'Andrea, R. (2023). The One-Wheel Cubli: A 3D inverted pendulum that can balance with a single reaction wheel. Mechatronics, 91, 102965. ISSN 0957-4158. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mechatronics.2023.102965

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