Main Findings/Ideas
Patent Search
The patent with the most useful information and detailed a shoelace tying device that utilized a set of hooks to aid in the shoe tying motion. The hooks are supposed to reciprocate axially and are supported on a tying platform. The platform described also utilized anchors and retainers to fix the shoelaces and allow for a double knot to be achieved.
Internet Search
UC Davis also implemented a shoe tying robot but with a massive system that was not compact. Two motors controlled two hook-shaped end effectors. The robot had four degrees of freedom through a three spur system.
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However, their method of tying the shoe was unreliable and inefficient and approximately took about 4 minutes. Therefore, using this project as part of the motivation, our group decided to create an optimized version of this design with similar degrees of freedom, but more compact and using robotic grippers.
Journal Search
From the IEEE database and an article titled Design and Development of an anthropomorphic shoe-tying robot, two different shoe tying motions were tested to see which was more efficient and simpler to accomplish. The regular bunny ear knot that most people learn as children are not the fastest and simplest knot that can be achieved. This was proved in the journal and our group decided to go with the other knot that was tested.
This shoe-tying robot also utilized the use of grippers instead of hooks to grab the shoelace designated as the index finger and thumb. Overall, this journal gave our group a better idea of how to compartmentalize the motion our robot would be performing.
