Inspenet, September 13, 2023.
A group of scientists in the United States has developed a flexible robot that has the ability to navigate mazes and complex, changing environments without the need for human intervention or computer control.
[post_relacionado]Previously, this team had created a biorobot that could navigate a track with simple obstacles, but lacked the ability to turn on its own, leaving it trapped and limited to bouncing between parallel obstacles. As explained by Jie Yin, an engineer at North Carolina State University in the United States and co-author of the robot.
However, the team has improved the prototype and developed a new flexible robot with the ability to turn autonomously, allowing it to move through winding mazes and overcome moving obstacles, all using physical intelligence. The details of this prototype, created at North Carolina State University, have been published in the journal Science Advances.
Inspired by nature
Soft robotics, inspired by living organisms, focuses on addressing challenges and solving problems by combining concepts from conventional robotics with the use of flexible and advanced materials.
Rather than relying on computer programming or human direction, the behavior of these robots is derived from the characteristics of their materials and structural design. Similar to its predecessor, the new robot is made up of a ribbon of liquid crystal elastomers.
When placed on a surface with a temperature of at least 55 degrees Celsius (hotter than the surrounding environment), the section of the tape in contact with the surface contracts, while the part exposed to the air remains unchanged. This process results in a rolling motion, and the higher the surface temperature, the faster the robot’s travel speed.
His design
Compared to the previous design, the new robot presents an asymmetrical structure with two clearly differentiated sections: one part in the shape of a twisted ribbon that extends in a straight line and another that takes on a more twisted ribbon shape, coiling around itself like a spiral staircase
This asymmetric arrangement means that one end of the robot exerts a greater force on the surface compared to the other, similar to what happens when we try to roll a plastic cup with the mouth wider than the base, causing it to The glass does not move in a straight path, but rather describes an arc.
Yao Zhao, lead author of the study and researcher at North Carolina State University, explains that the principle behind the new robot is quite simple: due to its asymmetric design, it is able to rotate without needing to come into contact with an object.
The robot in action
The researchers illustrated the ability of the robot’s asymmetric design to navigate mazes of greater complexity, even those that included moving walls, and to traverse spaces narrower than its own size. To achieve this, they evaluated the new robot design on both a metal surface and sand.
In Yin’s words, this work represents another step forward that will contribute to the development of innovative approaches in the creation of flexible robots, especially for applications where they can take advantage of the thermal energy present in their environment.
Source: https://www.20minutos.es/tecnologia/actualidad/crean-robot-blando-sin-cerebro- may-sortear-objetos-complejos-sin-ayuda-humana-5171243/