SOFT ROBOTICS. A 3D-printed, functionally graded soft robot powered by combustion.

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Abstract

Roboticists have begun to design biologically inspired robots with soft or partially soft bodies, which have the potential to be more robust and adaptable, and safer for human interaction, than traditional rigid robots. However, key challenges in the design and manufacture of soft robots include the complex fabrication processes and the interfacing of soft and rigid components. We used multimaterial three-dimensional (3D) printing to manufacture a combustion-powered robot whose body transitions from a rigid core to a soft exterior. This stiffness gradient, spanning three orders of magnitude in modulus, enables reliable interfacing between rigid driving components (controller, battery, etc.) and the primarily soft body, and also enhances performance. Powered by the combustion of butane and oxygen, this robot is able to perform untethered jumping.

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Design, fabrication and control of soft robots.

Daniela Rus, Michael T Tolley (2015)

Conventionally, engineers have employed rigid materials to fabricate precise, predictable robotic systems, which are easily modelled as rigid members connected at discrete joints. Natural systems, however, often match or exceed the performance of robotic systems with deformable bodies. Cephalopods, for example, achieve amazing feats of manipulation and locomotion without a skeleton; even vertebrates such as humans achieve dynamic gaits by storing elastic energy in their compliant bones and soft tissues. Inspired by nature, engineers have begun to explore the design and control of soft-bodied robots composed of compliant materials. This Review discusses recent developments in the emerging field of soft robotics.

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Multigait soft robot.

Robert F Shepherd, Filip Ilievski, Wonjae Choi … (2011)

This manuscript describes a unique class of locomotive robot: A soft robot, composed exclusively of soft materials (elastomeric polymers), which is inspired by animals (e.g., squid, starfish, worms) that do not have hard internal skeletons. Soft lithography was used to fabricate a pneumatically actuated robot capable of sophisticated locomotion (e.g., fluid movement of limbs and multiple gaits). This robot is quadrupedal; it uses no sensors, only five actuators, and a simple pneumatic valving system that operates at low pressures (< 10 psi). A combination of crawling and undulation gaits allowed this robot to navigate a difficult obstacle. This demonstration illustrates an advantage of soft robotics: They are systems in which simple types of actuation produce complex motion.

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Soft robotics: a bioinspired evolution in robotics.

Sangbae Kim, Cecilia Laschi, Barry Trimmer (2013)

Animals exploit soft structures to move effectively in complex natural environments. These capabilities have inspired robotic engineers to incorporate soft technologies into their designs. The goal is to endow robots with new, bioinspired capabilities that permit adaptive, flexible interactions with unpredictable environments. Here, we review emerging soft-bodied robotic systems, and in particular recent developments inspired by soft-bodied animals. Incorporating soft technologies can potentially reduce the mechanical and algorithmic complexity involved in robot design. Incorporating soft technologies will also expedite the evolution of robots that can safely interact with humans and natural environments. Finally, soft robotics technology can be combined with tissue engineering to create hybrid systems for medical applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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Journal

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): Science

Title: Science (New York, N.Y.)

ISSN (Electronic): 1095-9203

ISSN (Print): 0036-8075

Publication date (Electronic): Jul 10 2015

Volume: 349

Issue: 6244

Affiliations

[1 ] School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

[2 ] Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.

[3 ] School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

[4 ] Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

[5 ] Dalio Institute of Cardiovascular Imaging, Department of Radiology, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10021, USA.

[6 ] Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Article

Publisher Item ID: 349/6244/161

DOI: 10.1126/science.aab0129

PubMed ID: 26160940

SO-VID: da1a8cf6-fb4d-4f65-8c06-fd95a8e7c484

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SOFT ROBOTICS. A 3D-printed, functionally graded soft robot powered by combustion.

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AI & Robotics

Most cited references 19

Design, fabrication and control of soft robots.

Multigait soft robot.

Soft robotics: a bioinspired evolution in robotics.

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