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Design and gravity-compensation analysis of a modular low-power-consumption robot
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DOI：10.1016/j.mechatronics.2026.103542.png)
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Abstract
En 中文
Energy consumption and reconfigurability are critical performance metrics for robotic systems, and their synergistic optimization is essential for enhancing operational versatility. This paper proposes an innovative low-energy modular robot comprising a pitch joint module, a yaw joint module and an end-effector. The pitch joint module utilizes a parallelogram mechanism; taking a motion range of ±40° as a representative case in this paper, a gravity compensation unit is integrated to counterbalance the arm’s weight, thereby significantly minimizing joint driving torques. Based on a planetary gear train design, the yaw joint module achieves a yaw angle of ±180°, which effectively extends the robot’s workspace. The gravitational compensation mechanism for pitch unit is designed with high-performance thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) strands. By precisely tuning the internal geometric installation parameter, the mechanism provides a tunable compensation range to counteract the varying gravitational moments of different module assemblies, ensuring adaptability to diverse load conditions. The performance of this mechanism was evaluated through detailed energy analysis and robot pick-and-place experiments. The experimental results demonstrate significant energy savings: The prototype is capable of executing grasping tasks, the compensation unit reduces pitch module energy consumption by 83 % and 82 %, respectively achieves a 27.7 % decrease in overall system energy consumption during material handling, thereby validating the robot’s low-power and modular characteristics.
Keywords:
modular robot
gravity compensation
energy consumption
pitch joint
yaw joint
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