CoM-Jacobian-Based Locomotion Control of an Annular Pneumatic Robot

Inflatable habitat modules are good options for space exploration because they are light and easy to pack. However, controlling their shape and movement is difficult due to their soft materials and complex behavior. This work presents a rigid analog platform designed to capture the dominant dynamic behavior of such modules and allowing to design a model-based control represented by a second-order inverse- Jacobian control combined with null-space optimization. This control strategy allows the robot to maintain a shape leaning toward a circular shape while rolling in a controlled direc- tion towards a target, improving rolling speed compared to traditional sequential control methods without compromising structural integrity. Simulations show significant improvements in speed and demonstrate the importance of maintaining the near-circular shape for enhanced performance. This approach provides a foundation for more advanced control schemes applicable to soft robotic systems.