“ In nature , it ’ s easy to build complex systems that combine soft and hard materials . Using new manufacturing techniques like
3-D printing , we ’ re translating this hard / soft approach to robotics .”
— MICHAEL TOLLEY , MECHANICAL ENGINEERING PROFESSOR
allowed researchers to design complex shapes for the robot ’ s legs , printing soft and rigid materials together within the same components .
The robot ’ s soft legs are positioned in the shape of an X on a rigid frame and are made up of hollow , inflatable chambers that act like bellows — inflate them in a specific order and the legs bend , creating motion . The robot ’ s gait is still a work in progress , with researchers developing algorithms for better control of factors such as timing and air pressure . Right now , this four-legged robot is tethered to an open-source controller board and an air pump , but researchers plan to miniaturize these components , allowing the robot to walk independently through hazardous environments for exploration or search and rescue operations .
SILENT SWIMMER An underwater robot inspired by the movements of an eel can observe marine life without disturbing habitats .
» SWIM LIKE AN EEL One of the lab ’ s innovations is the least likely to hearken back to the rigid arms and legs of yesterday ’ s robots — because it has none .
Inspired by the sleek and smooth movements of the saltwater eel , the lab ’ s latest creation is intended for underwater exploration and is made up of a series of translucent pouches filled with saltwater . The robot swims by sending small electrical charges both outside and inside the pouches of water in its body , causing its “ muscles ” to move and propel itself through the water like an undulating eel . It is a stark contrast to most vehicles currently used to explore under the sea — typically rigid submersibles powered by electric motors with noisy propellers , just the kind of thing to spook delicate marine life . Soft robots like Tolley ’ s are less likely to damage underwater structures like coral reefs if they accidentally come into contact with them , or the animals themselves . And they very well might — the lab ’ s robot is virtually invisible underwater ( that is , when it ’ s not glowing in the dark )— its only giveaways being thin connective wires that tether it to an electronics board that remains on the surface .
As Tolley and his team from the Bioinspired Robotics and Design Lab build more lifelike and adept robots , they will continue to look to nature for inspiration , borrowing specialized abilities that have been perfected over time in the wild . The resulting robots will no doubt make a tremendous impact on everything from manufacturing , to search and rescue operations , to space exploration .
Watch these bots grip , walk and swim at tritonmag . com / softrobots
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