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Yang Y, Xie Y, Liu J, Li Y, Chen F. 3D-Printed Origami Actuators for a Multianimal-Inspired Soft Robot with Amphibious Locomotion and Tongue Hunting. Soft Robot 2024; 11:650-669. [PMID: 38330424 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2023.0079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/10/2024] Open
Abstract
The field of soft robotics is rapidly evolving, and there is a growing interest in developing soft robots with bioinspired features for use in various applications. This research presented the design and development of 3D-printed origami actuators for a soft robot with amphibious locomotion and tongue hunting capabilities. Two different types of programmable origami actuators were designed and manufactured, namely Z-shaped and twist tower actuators. In addition, two actuator variations were developed based on the Z-shaped actuator, including the pelvic fin and the coiling/uncoiling types. The Z-shaped actuators were used for the rear legs to facilitate the locomotion of the water-like frogs. Meanwhile, the twisted tower actuators were used for the rotation joints in the forelegs and for locomotion on land. The pelvic fin actuator was developed to imitate the land locomotion of the mudskipper, and the coiling/uncoiling actuator was designed for tongue hunting motion. The origami actuators and soft robot prototype were tested through a series of experiments, which showed that the robot was capable of efficiently moving in water and on land and performing tongue hunting motions. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of these actuators in producing the desired motions and provide insights into the potential of applying 3D-printed origami actuators in the development of soft robots with bioinspired features.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Meteorological Exploration Robot, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Atmospheric Environment and Equipment Technology (CICAEET), Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuan Xie
- School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Meteorological Exploration Robot, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
| | - Jia Liu
- School of Automation, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Jiangsu Province Engineering Research Center of Intelligent Meteorological Exploration Robot, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, Nanjing, China
- Tianchang Research Institute of NUIST, Tianchang, Anhui, China
| | - Yunquan Li
- Shien-Ming Wu School of Intelligent Engineering, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, China
| | - Feifei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration, Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Robotics Institute, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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2
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Liu Z, He Z, Hu X, Sun Z, Ge Q, Xu J, Fang H. Origami-Enhanced Mechanical Properties for Worm-Like Robot. Soft Robot 2024. [PMID: 38963793 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2023.0246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
In recent years, the exploration of worm-like robots has garnered much attention for their adaptability in confined environments. However, current designs face challenges in fully utilizing the mechanical properties of structures/materials to replicate the superior performance of real worms. In this article, we propose an approach to address this limitation based on the stacked Miura origami structure, achieving the seamless integration of structural design, mechanical properties, and robotic functionalities, that is, the mechanical properties originate from the geometric design of the origami structure and at the same time serve the locomotion capability of the robot. Three major advantages of our design are: the implementation of origami technology facilitates a more accessible and convenient fabrication process for segmented robotic skin with periodicity and flexibility, as well as robotic bristles with anchoring effect; the utilization of the Poisson's ratio effect for deformation amplification; and the incorporation of localized folding motion for continuous peristaltic locomotion. Utilizing the high geometric designability inherent in origami, our robot demonstrates customizable morphing and quantifiable mechanical properties. Based on the origami worm-like robot prototype, we experimentally verified the effectiveness of the proposed design in realizing the deformation amplification effect and localized folding motion. By comparing this to a conventional worm-like robot with discontinuous deformation, we highlight the merits of these mechanical properties in enhancing the robot's mobility. To sum up, this article showcases a bottom-up approach to robot development, including geometric design, mechanical characterization, and functionality realization, presenting a unique perspective for advancing the development of bioinspired soft robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuolin Liu
- Institute of AI and Robotics, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Engineering Research Center of AI & Robotics, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zihan He
- Institute of AI and Robotics, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Engineering Research Center of AI & Robotics, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiao Hu
- Institute of AI and Robotics, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Engineering Research Center of AI & Robotics, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zitao Sun
- Institute of AI and Robotics, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Engineering Research Center of AI & Robotics, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qi Ge
- Department of Mechanical and Energy Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jian Xu
- Institute of AI and Robotics, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Engineering Research Center of AI & Robotics, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongbin Fang
- Institute of AI and Robotics, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, MOE Engineering Research Center of AI & Robotics, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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3
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Tirado J, Do CD, Moisson de Vaux J, Jørgensen J, Rafsanjani A. Earthworm-Inspired Soft Skin Crawling Robot. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2400012. [PMID: 38622890 PMCID: PMC11187925 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2024] [Revised: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
Earthworms are fascinating animals capable of crawling and burrowing through various terrains using peristaltic motion and the directional friction response of their epidermis. Anisotropic anchoring governed by tiny appendages on their skin called setae is known to enhance the earthworm's locomotion. A multi-material fabrication technique is employed to produce soft skins with bristles inspired by the earthworm epidermis and their setae. The effect of bristles arranged in triangular and square grids at two spatial densities on the locomotion capability of a simple soft crawling robot comprised of an extending soft actuator covered by the soft skin is investigated experimentally. The results suggest that the presence of bristles results in a rostral to caudal friction ratio of µR/µC > 1 with some variations across bristle arrangements and applied elongations. Doubling the number of bristles increases the robot's speed by a factor of 1.78 for the triangular grid while it is less pronounced for the rectangular grid with a small factor of 1.06. Additionally, it is observed that increasing the actuation stroke for the skin with the high-density triangular grid, from 15% to 30%, elevates the speed from 0.5 to 0.9 mm s-1, but further increases in stroke to 45% may compromise the durability of the actuators with less gains in speed (1 mm s-1). Finally, it is demonstrated that a crawling robot equipped with soft skin can traverse both a linear and a curved channel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan Tirado
- SDU Soft Robotics, Biorobotics SectionThe Maersk McKinney Moller InstituteUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdense5230Denmark
| | - Cao Danh Do
- SDU Soft Robotics, Biorobotics SectionThe Maersk McKinney Moller InstituteUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdense5230Denmark
| | - Joséphine Moisson de Vaux
- SDU Soft Robotics, Biorobotics SectionThe Maersk McKinney Moller InstituteUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdense5230Denmark
- Department of MechanicsÉcole Centrale de MarseilleMarseille13013France
| | - Jonas Jørgensen
- SDU Soft Robotics, Biorobotics SectionThe Maersk McKinney Moller InstituteUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdense5230Denmark
| | - Ahmad Rafsanjani
- SDU Soft Robotics, Biorobotics SectionThe Maersk McKinney Moller InstituteUniversity of Southern DenmarkOdense5230Denmark
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4
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Dikici Y, Daltorio K, Akkus O. Nodes for modes: nodal honeycomb metamaterial enables a soft robot with multimodal locomotion. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2024; 19:046002. [PMID: 38631362 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad3ff8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Soft-bodied animals, such as worms and snakes, use many muscles in different ways to traverse unstructured environments and inspire tools for accessing confined spaces. They demonstrate versatility of locomotion which is essential for adaptation to changing terrain conditions. However, replicating such versatility in untethered soft-bodied robots with multimodal locomotion capabilities have been challenging due to complex fabrication processes and limitations of soft body structures to accommodate hardware such as actuators, batteries and circuit boards. Here, we present MetaCrawler, a 3D printed metamaterial soft robot designed for multimodal and omnidirectional locomotion. Our design approach facilitated an easy fabrication process through a discrete assembly of a modular nodal honeycomb lattice with soft and hard components. A crucial benefit of the nodal honeycomb architecture is the ability of its hard components, nodes, to accommodate a distributed actuation system, comprising servomotors, control circuits, and batteries. Enabled by this distributed actuation, MetaCrawler achieves five locomotion modes: peristalsis, sidewinding, sideways translation, turn-in-place, and anguilliform. Demonstrations showcase MetaCrawler's adaptability in confined channel navigation, vertical traversing, and maze exploration. This soft robotic system holds the potential to offer easy-to-fabricate and accessible solutions for multimodal locomotion in applications such as search and rescue, pipeline inspection, and space missions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yusuf Dikici
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bartın University, Bartın, Turkey
| | - Kathryn Daltorio
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
| | - Ozan Akkus
- Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, OH, United States of America
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5
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Hu F, Zhang C. Origami Polyhedra-Based Soft Multicellular Robots. Soft Robot 2024; 11:244-259. [PMID: 37870759 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2023.0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The reconfigurable and modular method, and the adaptive morphology method are two main methodologies to achieve the multimodal robots. Basically, the former method mimics the biological multicellular systems, while the latter is mostly inspired by the multimodal animals. Herein inspired by the rhombic dodecahedron (RDD) origami model, a novel type of soft multicellular robots with multimodal locomotion is presented. Morphologically, the combinable and expandable three-dimensional (3D)-printed soft RDD cells are assembled into several typical patterns: in-line, cross shaped, oblong shaped, and parallelogra shaped. The kinematics based on the sequential monolithic deformations of soft RDDs is analyzed to generate multimodal locomotion: peristaltic crawling, two-anchor crawling, crawling with turning functions, and omnidirectional crawling through the propagating waves in two orthogonal directions. More encouragingly, without reorganizing the pattern or reshaping the morph, the in-line multicellular robots manifest excellent climbing abilities, where the built-in rhombic meshes alternately tighten and loosen the pole-like structures to provide the gripping forces reliably without sacrificing mobility. To wrap up, owing to the monolithic and hierarchical deformability, high reconfigurability, and 3D-printable manufacturability of the RDD, we anticipate that the soft multicellular robot can potentially manifest further contributions to the advanced robotics with embodied intelligence, such as task-oriented self-assembly robots, self-reconfigurable robotic systems, and goal-directed metamorphosis robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuwen Hu
- Department of Mechatronics, School of Mechanical and Material Engineering, North China University of Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Chun Zhang
- Department of Mechatronics, School of Mechanical and Material Engineering, North China University of Technology, Beijing, China
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6
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Li P, Chen B, Liu J. Multimodal steerable earthworm-inspired soft robot based on vacuum and positive pressure powered pneumatic actuators. BIOINSPIRATION & BIOMIMETICS 2023; 19:016001. [PMID: 37913552 DOI: 10.1088/1748-3190/ad089c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
This article presents a multimodal steerable earthworm-inspired soft robot based on vacuum and positive pressure powered pneumatic actuators capable of crawling both inside pipelines and on planar surfaces. The optimized modular vacuum pressure-driven actuator can generate deformation and anchoring motion through a unified structure under low vacuum pressure, giving it significant speed advantages and multi-modal locomotion capabilities. Meanwhile, the positive pressure powered actuator (PPPA) enables the robot to achieve controlled multi-directional and multi-degrees-of-freedom steering, moreover, enhances the consistency of the driving mechanism. The incorporation of front-end pressure sensing enables the robot to autonomously detect and evaluate pressure, facilitating automatic obstacle avoidance through the activation of corresponding turning units of PPPA. In the process of optimizing motion parameters, the overall motion efficiency has been improved by 16.7% by improving the control law. Through adjustments and optimizations of the interval time (cycle time), the robot is able to achieve a speed of 7.16 mm s-1during planar locomotion and 1.94 mm s-1during in-pipe locomotion. Using the developed robot, we conducted a series of turning experiments, including surface obstacle avoidance and cross-plane crawling, which demonstrated its enhanced capability in cross-plane steering and locomotion. Its related speed indicators showcase superior overall performance compared to other developed robots of the same type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengcheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Baojun Chen
- Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianbin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, People's Republic of China
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7
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Muff LF, Mills AS, Riddle S, Buclin V, Roulin A, Chiel HJ, Quinn RD, Weder C, Daltorio KA. Modular Design of a Polymer-Bilayer-Based Mechanically Compliant Worm-Like Robot. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2210409. [PMID: 36807655 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202210409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Soft earthworm-like robots that exhibit mechanical compliance can, in principle, navigate through uneven terrains and constricted spaces that are inaccessible to traditional legged and wheeled robots. However, unlike the biological originals that they mimic, most of the worm-like robots reported to date contain rigid components that limit their compliance, such as electromotors or pressure-driven actuation systems. Here, a mechanically compliant worm-like robot with a fully modular body that is based on soft polymers is reported. The robot is composed of strategically assembled, electrothermally activated polymer bilayer actuators, which are based on a semicrystalline polyurethane with an exceptionally large nonlinear thermal expansion coefficient. The segments are designed on the basis of a modified Timoshenko model, and finite element analysis simulation is used to describe their performance. Upon electrical activation of the segments with basic waveform patterns, the robot can move through repeatable peristaltic locomotion on exceptionally slippery or sticky surfaces and it can be oriented in any direction. The soft body enables the robot to wriggle through openings and tunnels that are much smaller than its cross-section.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livius F Muff
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, Fribourg, CH-1700, Switzerland
| | - Austin S Mills
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Shane Riddle
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Véronique Buclin
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, Fribourg, CH-1700, Switzerland
| | - Anita Roulin
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, Fribourg, CH-1700, Switzerland
| | - Hillel J Chiel
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Roger D Quinn
- Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Christoph Weder
- Adolphe Merkle Institute, University of Fribourg, Chemin des Verdiers 4, Fribourg, CH-1700, Switzerland
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8
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Wang J, Xu B, Lai J, Wang Y, Hu C, Li H, Song A. An Improved Koopman-MPC Framework for Data-Driven Modeling and Control of Soft Actuators. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2023. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2022.3229235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jiajin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Remote Measurement and Control, School of Instrument Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Baoguo Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Remote Measurement and Control, School of Instrument Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jianwei Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Remote Measurement and Control, School of Instrument Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yifei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Remote Measurement and Control, School of Instrument Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Cong Hu
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Automatic Detecting Technology and Instruments, Guilin University of Electronic Technology, Guilin, China
| | - Huijun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Remote Measurement and Control, School of Instrument Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
| | - Aiguo Song
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Remote Measurement and Control, School of Instrument Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing, China
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9
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Dorgan KM, Daltorio KA. Fundamentals of burrowing in soft animals and robots. Front Robot AI 2023; 10:1057876. [PMID: 36793873 PMCID: PMC9923007 DOI: 10.3389/frobt.2023.1057876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Creating burrows through natural soils and sediments is a problem that evolution has solved numerous times, yet burrowing locomotion is challenging for biomimetic robots. As for every type of locomotion, forward thrust must overcome resistance forces. In burrowing, these forces will depend on the sediment mechanical properties that can vary with grain size and packing density, water saturation, organic matter and depth. The burrower typically cannot change these environmental properties, but can employ common strategies to move through a range of sediments. Here we propose four challenges for burrowers to solve. First, the burrower has to create space in a solid substrate, overcoming resistance by e.g., excavation, fracture, compression, or fluidization. Second, the burrower needs to locomote into the confined space. A compliant body helps fit into the possibly irregular space, but reaching the new space requires non-rigid kinematics such as longitudinal extension through peristalsis, unbending, or eversion. Third, to generate the required thrust to overcome resistance, the burrower needs to anchor within the burrow. Anchoring can be achieved through anisotropic friction or radial expansion, or both. Fourth, the burrower must sense and navigate to adapt the burrow shape to avoid or access different parts of the environment. Our hope is that by breaking the complexity of burrowing into these component challenges, engineers will be better able to learn from biology, since animal performance tends to exceed that of their robotic counterparts. Since body size strongly affects space creation, scaling may be a limiting factor for burrowing robotics, which are typically built at larger scales. Small robots are becoming increasingly feasible, and larger robots with non-biologically-inspired anteriors (or that traverse pre-existing tunnels) can benefit from a deeper understanding of the breadth of biological solutions in current literature and to be explored by continued research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly M. Dorgan
- Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Dauphin Island, AL, United States,School of Marine & Environmental Sciences, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, United States,*Correspondence: Kelly M. Dorgan,
| | - Kathryn A. Daltorio
- Mechanical Engineering Department, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
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10
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Das R, Babu SPM, Visentin F, Palagi S, Mazzolai B. An earthworm-like modular soft robot for locomotion in multi-terrain environments. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1571. [PMID: 36709355 PMCID: PMC9884293 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28873-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Robotic locomotion in subterranean environments is still unsolved, and it requires innovative designs and strategies to overcome the challenges of burrowing and moving in unstructured conditions with high pressure and friction at depths of a few centimeters. Inspired by antagonistic muscle contractions and constant volume coelomic chambers observed in earthworms, we designed and developed a modular soft robot based on a peristaltic soft actuator (PSA). The PSA demonstrates two active configurations from a neutral state by switching the input source between positive and negative pressure. PSA generates a longitudinal force for axial penetration and a radial force for anchorage, through bidirectional deformation of the central bellows-like structure, which demonstrates its versatility and ease of control. The performance of PSA depends on the amount and type of fluid confined in an elastomer chamber, generating different forces and displacements. The assembled robot with five PSA modules enabled to perform peristaltic locomotion in different media. The role of friction was also investigated during experimental locomotion tests by attaching passive scales like earthworm setae to the ventral side of the robot. This study proposes a new method for developing a peristaltic earthworm-like soft robot and provides a better understanding of locomotion in different environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riddhi Das
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy. .,The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Italy.
| | - Saravana Prashanth Murali Babu
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy. .,Center for Soft Robotics, SDU Biorobotics, The Maersk Mc-Kinney Moller Institute, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
| | - Francesco Visentin
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.,Department of Computer Science, Università degli Studi di Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Stefano Palagi
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.,The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pontedera, Italy
| | - Barbara Mazzolai
- Bioinspired Soft Robotics Lab, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy.
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11
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Liu J, Li P, Zuo S. Actuation and design innovations in earthworm-inspired soft robots: A review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2023; 11:1088105. [PMID: 36896011 PMCID: PMC9989016 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1088105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, soft robotics technologies are creating the means of robotic abilities and are required for the development of biomimetic robotics. In recent years, earthworm-inspired soft robot has garnered increasing attention as a major branch of bionic robots. The major studies on earthworm-inspired soft robots focuses on the deformation of the earthworm body segment. Consequently, various actuation methods have been proposed to conduct the expansion and contraction of the robot's segments for locomotion simulation. This review article aims to act as a reference guide for researchers interested in the field of earthworm-inspired soft robot, and to present the current state of research, summarize current design innovations, compare the advantages and disadvantages of different actuation methods with the purpose of inspiring future innovative orientations for researchers. Herein, earthworm-inspired soft robots are classified into single- and multi-segment types, and the characteristics of various actuation methods are introduced and compared according to the number of matching segments. Moreover, various promising application instances of the different actuation methods are detailed along with their main features. Finally, motion performances of the robots are compared by two normalized metrics-speed compared by body length and speed compared by body diameter, and future developments in this research direction are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianbin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Pengcheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
| | - Siyang Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Mechanism Theory and Equipment Design of Ministry of Education, Tianjin University, Tianjin, China
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12
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Niiyama R, Matsushita K, Ikeda M, Or K, Kuniyoshi Y. A 3D printed hydrostatic skeleton for an earthworm-inspired soft burrowing robot. SOFT MATTER 2022; 18:7990-7997. [PMID: 36218365 DOI: 10.1039/d2sm00882c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Moving through soil is challenging for robots, particularly for soft robots. Herein, we propose a support structure, based on the hydrostatic skeleton of earthworms, to overcome this problem. To create extremely flexible, thin-walled, worm-sized deformed segments, a specialized 3D printer for low-hardness rubber was utilized. To obtain large radial deformation, we investigated the properties of the soft materials for 3D printing and the geometry of the segments. Notably, segments are deformed with multiply-wound shape memory alloy wires. We constructed an earthworm robot by connecting shape memory alloy-driven segments in series and experimentally demonstrated that this robot could propel in the soil. The proposed robot is unique in that it has a small diameter of 10 mm and exhibits a peristaltic motion in soil.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryuma Niiyama
- Meiji University - Ikuta Campus, 1-1-1 Higashimita, Tamaku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-8571, Japan.
| | | | - Masahiro Ikeda
- Meiji University - Ikuta Campus, 1-1-1 Higashimita, Tamaku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-8571, Japan.
| | - Keung Or
- Meiji University - Ikuta Campus, 1-1-1 Higashimita, Tamaku, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 214-8571, Japan.
| | - Yasuo Kuniyoshi
- The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo, Japan
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13
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Baines R, Patiballa SK, Booth J, Ramirez L, Sipple T, Garcia A, Fish F, Kramer-Bottiglio R. Multi-environment robotic transitions through adaptive morphogenesis. Nature 2022; 610:283-289. [PMID: 36224418 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05188-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The current proliferation of mobile robots spans ecological monitoring, warehouse management and extreme environment exploration, to an individual consumer's home1-4. This expanding frontier of applications requires robots to transit multiple environments, a substantial challenge that traditional robot design strategies have not effectively addressed5,6. For example, biomimetic design-copying an animal's morphology, propulsion mechanism and gait-constitutes one approach, but it loses the benefits of engineered materials and mechanisms that can be exploited to surpass animal performance7,8. Other approaches add a unique propulsive mechanism for each environment to the same robot body, which can result in energy-inefficient designs9-11. Overall, predominant robot design strategies favour immutable structures and behaviours, resulting in systems incapable of specializing across environments12,13. Here, to achieve specialized multi-environment locomotion through terrestrial, aquatic and the in-between transition zones, we implemented 'adaptive morphogenesis', a design strategy in which adaptive robot morphology and behaviours are realized through unified structural and actuation systems. Taking inspiration from terrestrial and aquatic turtles, we built a robot that fuses traditional rigid components and soft materials to radically augment the shape of its limbs and shift its gaits for multi-environment locomotion. The interplay of gait, limb shape and the environmental medium revealed vital parameters that govern the robot's cost of transport. The results attest that adaptive morphogenesis is a powerful method to enhance the efficiency of mobile robots encountering unstructured, changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Baines
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sree Kalyan Patiballa
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA
| | - Joran Booth
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Luis Ramirez
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Thomas Sipple
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Andonny Garcia
- School of Engineering and Applied Science, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Frank Fish
- Department of Biology, West Chester University, West Chester, PA, USA
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14
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Hong C, Ren Z, Wang C, Li M, Wu Y, Tang D, Hu W, Sitti M. Magnetically actuated gearbox for the wireless control of millimeter-scale robots. Sci Robot 2022; 7:eabo4401. [PMID: 36044558 DOI: 10.1126/scirobotics.abo4401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
The limited force or torque outputs of miniature magnetic actuators constrain the locomotion performances and functionalities of magnetic millimeter-scale robots. Here, we present a magnetically actuated gearbox with a maximum size of 3 millimeters for driving wireless millirobots. The gearbox is assembled using microgears that have reference diameters down to 270 micrometers and are made of aluminum-filled epoxy resins through casting. With a magnetic disk attached to the input shaft, the gearbox can be driven by a rotating external magnetic field, which is not more than 6.8 millitesla, to produce torque of up to 0.182 millinewton meters at 40 hertz. The corresponding torque and power densities are 12.15 micronewton meters per cubic millimeter and 8.93 microwatt per cubic millimeter, respectively. The transmission efficiency of the gearbox in the air is between 25.1 and 29.2% at actuation frequencies ranging from 1 to 40 hertz, and it lowers when the gearbox is actuated in viscous liquids. This miniature gearbox can be accessed wirelessly and integrated with various functional modules to repeatedly generate large actuation forces, strains, and speeds; store energy in elastic components; and lock up mechanical linkages. These characteristics enable us to achieve a peristaltic robot that can crawl on a flat substrate or inside a tube, a jumping robot with a tunable jumping height, a clamping robot that can sample solid objects by grasping, a needle-puncture robot that can take samples from the inside of the target, and a syringe robot that can collect or release liquids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chong Hong
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Ziyu Ren
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Che Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Mingtong Li
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Yingdan Wu
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Dewei Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics and Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150080, China
| | - Wenqi Hu
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569 Stuttgart, Germany.,Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, 8092 Zürich, Switzerland.,School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, 34450 Istanbul, Turkey
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15
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Santhosh S, Serra M. Optimal locomotion for limbless crawlers. Phys Rev E 2022; 106:024610. [PMID: 36109910 DOI: 10.1103/physreve.106.024610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Limbless crawling is ubiquitous in biology, from cells to organisms. We develop and analyze a model for the dynamics of one-dimensional elastic crawlers, subject to active stress and deformation-dependent friction with the substrate. We find that the optimal active stress distribution that maximizes the crawler's center-of-mass displacement given a fixed amount of energy input is a traveling wave. This theoretical optimum corresponds to peristalsislike extension-contraction waves observed in biological organisms, possibly explaining the prevalence of peristalsis as a convergent gait across species. Our theory elucidates key observations in biological systems connecting the anchoring phase of a crawler to the retrograde and prograde distinction seen in peristaltic waves among various organisms. Using our optimal gait solution, we derive a scaling relation between the crawling speed and body mass, explaining experiments on earthworms with three orders of magnitude body mass variations. Our results offer insights and tools for optimal bioinspired crawling robots design with finite battery capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sreejith Santhosh
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
| | - Mattia Serra
- Department of Physics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, USA
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16
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Feng R, Zhang Y, Liu J, Zhang Y, Li J, Baoyin H. Soft Robotic Perspective and Concept for Planetary Small Body Exploration. Soft Robot 2021; 9:889-899. [PMID: 34939854 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2021.0054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Tens of thousands of planetary small bodies (asteroids, comets, and small moons) are flying beside our Earth with little understanding. Explorers on the surfaces of these bodies, unlike the Lunar or Mars rovers, have only few attempts and no sophisticated solution. Current concerns mainly focus on landing uncertainties and mobility limitations, which soft robots may suitably aid utilizing their compliance and adaptivity. In this study, we present a perspective of designating soft robots for the surface exploration. Based on the lessons from recent space missions and an astronomy survey, we summarize the surface features of typical small bodies and the associated challenges for possible soft robotic design. Different kinds of soft mobile robots are reviewed, whose morphology and locomotion are analyzed for the microgravity, rugged environment. We also propose an alternative to current asteroid hoppers, as a case of applying progress in soft material. Specifically, the structure is a deployable cube whose outer shell is made of shape memory polymer, so that it can achieve morphing and variable stiffness between liftoff and landing phases. Dynamic simulations of the free-fall landing are carried out with a rigid counterpart for comparison. The results show that the soft deployed shell can effectively contribute to dissipating the kinetic energy and attenuating the excessive rebounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruoyu Feng
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Zhang
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyu Liu
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Yonglong Zhang
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Junfeng Li
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Hexi Baoyin
- School of Aerospace Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
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17
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Wang Y, Liu Z, Kandhari A, Daltorio KA. Obstacle Avoidance Path Planning for Worm-like Robot Using Bézier Curve. Biomimetics (Basel) 2021; 6:biomimetics6040057. [PMID: 34698058 PMCID: PMC8544220 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics6040057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Worm-like robots have demonstrated great potential in navigating through environments requiring body shape deformation. Some examples include navigating within a network of pipes, crawling through rubble for search and rescue operations, and medical applications such as endoscopy and colonoscopy. In this work, we developed path planning optimization techniques and obstacle avoidance algorithms for the peristaltic method of locomotion of worm-like robots. Based on our previous path generation study using a modified rapidly exploring random tree (RRT), we have further introduced the Bézier curve to allow more path optimization flexibility. Using Bézier curves, the path planner can explore more areas and gain more flexibility to make the path smoother. We have calculated the obstacle avoidance limitations during turning tests for a six-segment robot with the developed path planning algorithm. Based on the results of our robot simulation, we determined a safe turning clearance distance with a six-body diameter between the robot and the obstacles. When the clearance is less than this value, additional methods such as backward locomotion may need to be applied for paths with high obstacle offset. Furthermore, for a worm-like robot, the paths of subsequent segments will be slightly different than the path of the head segment. Here, we show that as the number of segments increases, the differences between the head path and tail path increase, necessitating greater lateral clearance margins.
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18
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Cao G, Huo B, Yang L, Zhang F, Liu Y, Bian G. Model-Based Robust Tracking Control Without Observers for Soft Bending Actuators. IEEE Robot Autom Lett 2021. [DOI: 10.1109/lra.2021.3071952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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