Motion Control and Actuation Strategy for a Three-Bar Tensegrity Robot

Tensegrity robots, known for their lightweight and adaptive structures, offer promising applications in planetary exploration and disaster response. This study investigates a three-rod tensegrity structure that, despite its structural simplicity, faces challenges such as unidirectional rolling and low locomotion efficiency. Employing the force density method, we analyze the structure’s geometric configuration and static equilibrium to elucidate its form-finding and force-deformation characteristics. A novel rolling determination method based on center-of-mass shifting, along with a traversal search algorithm, is introduced to optimize rolling modes and locomotion trajectories. Moreover, to balance efficiency with stability, two control strategies—the Velocity-Energy Balanced Actuation Strategy (VEBA) and the Maximum-Velocity Optimization Strategy (MVO)—are proposed and compared against the Minimal-Cable Actuation Strategy (MCA). Experimental validations using an Arduino-controlled prototype demonstrate that multi-cable coordinated actuation enhances rolling efficiency, reduces structural deformation, and improves overall stability.