PURPOSE: To provide articulation adaptable from large to reduced sizes for limbs (including those for translation) of walking robots for space probing without having slop (such as backlash, clearance, or compliance) and without requiring lubrication. CONSTITUTION: On a housing 28, a pair of piezoelectric actuators 30 are installed to hold a limb segment 12. For limbs for translation, slide articulation for vertical motion and forward/backward motion is provided by the piezoelectric actuators 30.
ROBOT ARTICULATION