RESEARCH & INNOVATION
ROBOTS GET FLEXIBLE
Nature inspires a new wave of soft robotics .
BY IOANA PATRINGENARU
ASK ANYONE HOW A ROBOT MOVES and they will immediately go rigid and move their arms up and down , and if you ’ re lucky , you may get some stiff , funky dance moves . Researchers at UC San Diego hope to put this perception to rest with a new breed of robots with smoother moves — and they ’ re looking to nature to make it possible .
“ In nature , it ’ s easy to build complex systems that combine soft and hard materials ,” says Michael Tolley , professor of mechanical engineering and head of the Bioinspired Robotics and Design Lab at the Jacobs School of Engineering . “ Using new manufacturing techniques like 3-D printing , we ’ re translating this hard / soft approach to robotics .”
Bringing together soft and rigid materials will help create a new generation of agile robots that have a number of advantages : so-called “ soft robots ” are better suited to safely interact with humans , they are better able to adapt to their environment , and they can manipulate delicate objects without damaging them . Here ’ s a sample of the latest robots to grip , walk and swim out from Tolley ’ s lab .
12 TRITON | FALL 2018
» GRIP LIKE A GECKO The dexterity of the human hand is one of robotics ’ holy grails — extremely flexible , agile , and packed with millions of nerve endings to touch , feel and grasp objects . Robotic hands don ’ t yet measure up to such complex engineering , but researchers are looking to one of nature ’ s best climbers for inspiration .
The gecko is well known for its amazing sticking ability , owed entirely to its unique toes packed with millions of microscopic hairs , each about 20 to 30 times smaller than a human hair . Tolley and the students in his lab aim to combine the adhesive mechanics of gecko toes with air-powered soft robotics in order to build a soft , robotic gripper ( pictured above ). Working with colleagues from Stanford University and NASA ’ s Jet Propulsion Laboratory ( JPL ), the team coated the fingers of the soft robotic gripper with the JPL ’ s gecko-inspired adhesive , allowing for a firm grasp on many different objects , from rough rocks to smooth pipes , and even delicate coffee mugs . With an ability to lift up to 45 lbs ., researchers see applications wherever versatility is required in grasping materials — from the factory floor to the International Space Station .
» WALK LIKE A DOG Most soft robots shuffle , scoot or crawl on the ground , without the ability to lift their legs . But in order to be the intrepid explorers we need on our planet and beyond , robots of the future will need the ability to effectively navigate varying terrains . Tolley ’ s doctoral students , led by Dylan Drotman ’ 13 , MS ’ 15 , developed the first soft robot that can walk on rough , uneven surfaces like rocks and pebbles , as well as softer ones . This was made possible by 3-D printing , which
WALK , RUN OR CRAWL 3-D printing gives this robot soft legs that can bend via inflatable chambers .