Robotic fabric in operation. (via Purdue)
Soft robots are beginning to make a name for themselves within the community for robotics. First came the indestructible worm and now Purdue University is joining in on the fun with its robotic skin – a thin, robotic sleeve that can turn any malleable substance into a mobile bot.
The project at Purdue is headed by Rebecca Kramer and centers around creating a robotic fabric that can be easily slipped onto any flexible substance to make it mobile. The fabric is fitted with sensors that allow it to expand and contract, giving the malleable substance the ability to slither and wriggle like a worm. RoboWorm, go!
The robotic fabric relies on polymer and shape-memory alloy sensors that coil when heated, giving the robotic skin the power of actuation and sensing. Also, since the fabric relies on temperature for movement, the robot is extremely energy-efficient, portable and suitable for just about any setting, even space.
Kramer and her colleagues hope the robotic sleeve can provide astronauts and other researchers with a portable, easy-to-use mobile robot that can explore tough terrains without a battery pack. The design team also thinks the soft bot may give a hand in the development of medical braces on demand. Since the sleeve can “lock” into into a certain position, it may be useful as a medcal brace in emergency situations.
It’ll be a little while before these robotic sleeves replace traditional space rovers and plaster medical braces, but it makes a strong case for the potential significance soft bots in our world.
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