A controllably adhesive climbing robot using magnetorheological fluid

Abstract

In this thesis, the novel adhesive effects of magnetorheological fluid for use in climbing robotics were experimentally measured and compared to existing cohesive failure fluid models of yield stress adhesion. These models were found to correlate with experimental results at yield stresses below 1.12 kPa. MR fluid samples activated to have yield stresses above 1.12 kPa were limited to an adhesive stress of approximately 25-30 kPa regardless of inital fluid thickness or yield stress. A climbing robot capable of utilizing MR fluid adhesion was constructed and shown to be capable of adhering to surfaces of any orientation and climbing rough surfaces with a 45° slope. The robot was capable of controllably adhering to rough sandpaper and smooth glass with an adhesive stress of 7.3 kPa, demonstrating a novel form of adhesion on a wide range of surface roughnesses and orientations.