A climbing robot that can rapidly move on diverse surfaces such as floors, walls, and ceilings will have an enlarged operational workspace compared with other terrestrial robots. However, the climbing skill of robots in such environments has been limited to low speeds or simple locomotion tasks. Here, we present an untethered quadrupedal climbing robot called MARVEL (magnetically adhesive robot for versatile and expeditious locomotion), capable of agile and versatile climbing locomotion in ferromagnetic environments. MARVEL excels over prior climbing robots in terms of climbing speed and ability to execute various motions. It demonstrates the fastest vertical and inverted walking speed, whereas its versatile locomotion ability enables the highest number of gaits and locomotion tasks. The key innovations are an integrated foot design using electropermanent magnets and magnetorheological elastomers that provide large adhesion and traction forces, torque control actuators, and a model predictive control framework adapted for stable climbing. In experiments, the robot achieved locomotion on ceilings and vertical walls up to 0.5 meter (1.51 body lengths) per second and 0.7 meter (2.12 body lengths) per second, respectively. Furthermore, the robot exhibited complex behaviors such as stepping over 10-centimeter-wide gaps; overcoming 5-centimeter-high obstacles; and making transitions between floors, walls, and ceilings. We also show that MARVEL could climb on a curved surface of a storage tank covered with up to 0.3-millimeter-thick paint with rust and dust.

中文翻译：

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使用四足机器人在铁磁表面上灵活多变地攀爬

与其他地面机器人相比，可以在地板、墙壁和天花板等不同表面上快速移动的攀爬机器人将拥有更大的操作工作空间。然而，机器人在这种环境中的攀爬技能仅限于低速或简单的运动任务。在这里，我们展示了一种名为 MARVEL 的无绳四足攀爬机器人（用于多功能和快速运动的磁粘机器人），能够在铁磁环境中进行敏捷和多功能的攀爬运动。MARVEL 在攀爬速度和执行各种动作的能力方面优于之前的攀爬机器人。它展示了最快的垂直和倒立行走速度，而其多功能运动能力可实现最多数量的步态和运动任务。关键的创新是使用永磁体和磁流变弹性体的集成脚设计，提供大的附着力和牵引力，扭矩控制执行器，以及适用于稳定攀爬的模型预测控制框架。在实验中，机器人在天花板和垂直墙壁上的运动速度分别达到每秒 0.5 米（1.51 倍体长）和 0.7 米（2.12 倍体长）。此外，该机器人表现出复杂的行为，例如跨过 10 厘米宽的缝隙；克服5厘米高的障碍物；以及在地板、墙壁和天花板之间进行过渡。我们还展示了 MARVEL 可以爬上储罐的曲面，该储罐覆盖着厚达 0.3 毫米的油漆，上面有锈迹和灰尘。