A team from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of Faculty of Engineering at the University of Hong Kong (HKU) has developed an Aerial Elephant Trunk (AET), which is an aerial continuum manipulator, capable of performing aerial manipulation tasks.
Taking inspiration from the design of an elephant trunk, the AET features a highly compact aerial continuum arm, which can perform assorted aerial manipulation tasks in complex environments. The AET body can change into virtually any shape and grasp objects of different sizes and shapes using its body — an achievement that is virtually impossible for traditional aerial manipulators, which can only grasp objects using grippers.
Source: HKU
AET can navigate through pipelines of different shapes and overcome obstacles where traditional aerial manipulators struggle.
According to its developers, AET can grasp, transport and perform maintenance tasks in difficult aerial environments, including clearing debris at disaster sites, removing debris from high-voltage power lines and maintaining cross-sea bridges.
The AET is detailed in the article, “A dexterous and compliant aerial continuum manipulator for cluttered and constrained environments,” which appears in the journal Nature Communications.
For more on the AET, watch the accompanying video that appears courtesy of HKU.
