On the Movement of Tensegrity Structures

We study in this paper the feasibility of a moving tensegrity structure having some of its elements actuated. In this way two different approaches are presented. First, a realization of a tensegrity based robot composed of a 3-bar symmetric prism-like minimal tensegrity configuration is given. This first prototype has its lower nodes anchored to the ground. We provide a detailed implementation description of the physical robot, and analyse some trajectories within its workspace. Second, a simulator is presented in which, taking into account the structure dynamics, a tensegrity based mobile robot, hence not anchored, is capable of following a trajectory on a planar surface. This provides us a first insight of how these structures should be actuated and sensed in order to produce movement.