Locomotion of an untethered, worm-inspired soft robot driven by a shape-memory alloy skeleton.

Journal: Scientific reports
PMID: 35859091

Abstract

Soft, worm-like robots show promise in complex and constrained environments due to their robust, yet simple movement patterns. Although many such robots have been developed, they either rely on tethered power supplies and complex designs or cannot move external loads. To address these issues, we here introduce a novel, maggot-inspired, magnetically driven "mag-bot" that utilizes shape memory alloy-induced, thermoresponsive actuation and surface pattern-induced anisotropic friction to achieve locomotion inspired by fly larvae. This simple, untethered design can carry cargo that weighs up to three times its own weight with only a 17% reduction in speed over unloaded conditions thereby demonstrating, for the first time, how soft, untethered robots may be used to carry loads in controlled environments. Given their small scale and low cost, we expect that these mag-bots may be used in remote, confined spaces for small objects handling or as components in more complex designs.

Authors

  • Lin Xu
    Key Laboratory of Grain and Oil Processing and Food Safety of Sichuan Province, College of Food and Bioengineering, Xihua University Chengdu 610039 China xingyage1@163.com.
  • Robert J Wagner
    Department of Mechanical Engineering & Material Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder, 80309-0428, USA.
  • Siyuan Liu
    Key laboratory of Transplantation, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Tianjin, 300192, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory for Organ Transplantation, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China; Department of Liver Transplantation, Tianjin Medical University First Center Clinical College, Tianjin, 300192, China; Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular and Treatment of Liver Cancer, Tianjin First Center Hospital, Tianjin, 300192, China.
  • Qingrui He
    Institute of Intelligent Flexible Mechatronics, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China.
  • Tao Li
    Department of Emergency Medicine, Jining No.1 People's Hospital, Jining, China.
  • Wenlong Pan
    Institute of Intelligent Flexible Mechatronics, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China.
  • Yu Feng
    College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China.
  • Huanhuan Feng
    Institute of Intelligent Flexible Mechatronics, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China.
  • Qingguang Meng
    Institute of Intelligent Flexible Mechatronics, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China.
  • Xiang Zou
    Department of Neurosurgery, Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
  • Yu Fu
    Molecular Diagnosis and Treatment Center for Infectious Diseases Dermatology Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou China.
  • Xingling Shi
    School of Materials Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang, 212003, People's Republic of China.
  • Dongliang Zhao
    School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210096, People's Republic of China.
  • Jianning Ding
    Institute of Intelligent Flexible Mechatronics, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, People's Republic of China. dingjn@ujs.edu.cn.
  • Franck J Vernerey
    Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado 80309, United States.

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