1
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An S, Cao Y, Jiang H. A mechanically robust and facile shape morphing using tensile-induced buckling. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eado8431. [PMID: 38781341 PMCID: PMC11114219 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado8431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Inspired by the adaptive mechanisms observed in biological organisms, shape-morphing soft structures have emerged as promising platforms for many applications. In this study, we present a shape-morphing strategy to overcome existing limitations of the intricate fabrication process and the lack of mechanical robustness against mechanical perturbations. Our method uses tensile-induced buckling, achieved by attaching restraining strips to a stretchable substrate. When the substrate is stretched, the stiffness mismatch between the restraining strips and the substrate, and the Poisson's effect on the substrate cause the restraining strips to buckle, thereby transforming initially flat shapes into intricate three-dimensional (3D) configurations. Guided by an inverse design method, we demonstrate the capability to achieve complicated and diverse 3D shapes. Leveraging shape morphing, we further develop soft grippers exhibiting outstanding universality, high grasping efficiencies, and exceptional durability. Our proposed shape-morphing strategy is scalable and material-independent, holding notable potential for applications in soft robotics, haptics, and biomedical devices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi An
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China
- Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Yajun Cao
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China
- Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
| | - Hanqing Jiang
- School of Engineering, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China
- Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Research Center for Industries of the Future, Westlake University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310030, China
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2
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Ren Z, Ucak K, Yan Y, Sitti M. Undulatory Propulsion at Milliscale on Water Surface. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2309807. [PMID: 38483259 PMCID: PMC11109636 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202309807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024]
Abstract
The oscillatory pitch motion at the leading edge of a millimeter-scale flexible sheet on the water surface can generate undulatory locomotion for swimming, similar to a honeybee vibrating its wings for propulsion. The influence of various parameters on such swimming strategy remains unexplored. This study uses magnetic milliswimmers to probe the propulsion mechanics and impact of different parameters. It is found that this undulatory propulsion is driven by capillary forces and added mass effects related to undulatory waves of the milliswimmers, along with radiation stress stemming from capillary waves at the interface. Modifying the parameters such as actuation frequency, pitch amplitude, bending stiffness, and hydrofoil length alters the body waveform, thus, affecting the propulsion speed and energy efficiency. Although undulatory motion is not a prerequisite for water surface propulsion, optimizing body stiffness to achieve a proper undulatory waveform is crucial for efficient swimming, balancing energy consumption, and speed. The study also reveals that the induced water flow is confined near the water surface, and the flow structures evolve with varying factors. These discoveries advance the understanding of undulatory water surface propulsion and have implications for the optimal design of small-scale swimming soft robots in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Ren
- School of Mechanical Engineering and AutomationBeihang UniversityBeijing100191China
- Physical Intelligence DepartmentMax Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems70569StuttgartGermany
| | - Kagan Ucak
- Physical Intelligence DepartmentMax Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems70569StuttgartGermany
| | - Yingbo Yan
- Physical Intelligence DepartmentMax Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems70569StuttgartGermany
- Laboratory for Multiscale Mechanics and Medical ScienceSV LABSchool of AerospaceXi'an Jiaotong UniversityXi'an710049China
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence DepartmentMax Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems70569StuttgartGermany
- Institute for Biomedical EngineeringETH ZurichZurich8092Switzerland
- School of Medicine and College of EngineeringKoç UniversityIstanbul34450Turkey
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3
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Deng H, Li D, Nitroy C, Wertz A, Priya S, Cheng B. Robot motor learning shows emergence of frequency-modulated, robust swimming with an invariant Strouhal number. J R Soc Interface 2024; 21:20240036. [PMID: 38531411 PMCID: PMC10965329 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2024.0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Fish locomotion emerges from diverse interactions among deformable structures, surrounding fluids and neuromuscular activations, i.e. fluid-structure interactions (FSI) controlled by fish's motor systems. Previous studies suggested that such motor-controlled FSI may possess embodied traits. However, their implications in motor learning, neuromuscular control, gait generation, and swimming performance remain to be uncovered. Using robot models, we studied the embodied traits in fish-inspired swimming. We developed modular robots with various designs and used central pattern generators (CPGs) to control the torque acting on robot body. We used reinforcement learning to learn CPG parameters for maximizing the swimming speed. The results showed that motor frequency converged faster than other parameters, and the emergent swimming gaits were robust against disruptions applied to motor control. For all robots and frequencies tested, swimming speed was proportional to the mean undulation velocity of body and caudal-fin combined, yielding an invariant, undulation-based Strouhal number. The Strouhal number also revealed two fundamental classes of undulatory swimming in both biological and robotic fishes. The robot actuators were also demonstrated to function as motors, virtual springs and virtual masses. These results provide novel insights in understanding fish-inspired locomotion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hankun Deng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Donghao Li
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Colin Nitroy
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Andrew Wertz
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Shashank Priya
- Department of Material Science and Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
| | - Bo Cheng
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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4
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Wang R, Zhang C, Zhang Y, Yang L, Tan W, Qin H, Wang F, Liu L. Fast-Swimming Soft Robotic Fish Actuated by Bionic Muscle. Soft Robot 2024. [PMID: 38407844 DOI: 10.1089/soro.2023.0163] [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: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Soft underwater swimming robots actuated by smart materials have unique advantages in exploring the ocean, such as low noise, high flexibility, and friendly environment interaction ability. However, most of them typically exhibit limited swimming speed and flexibility due to the inherent characteristics of soft actuation materials. The actuation method and structural design of soft robots are key elements to improve their motion performance. Inspired by the muscle actuation and swimming mechanism of natural fish, a fast-swimming soft robotic fish actuated by a bionic muscle actuator made of dielectric elastomer is presented. The results show that by controlling the two independent actuating units of a biomimetic actuator, the robotic fish can not only achieve continuous C-shaped body motion similar to natural fish but also have a large bending angle (maximum unidirectional angle is about 40°) and thrust force (peak thrust is about 14 mN). In addition, the coupling relationship between the swimming speed and actuating parameters of the robotic fish is established through experiments and theoretical analysis. By optimizing the control strategy, the robotic fish can demonstrate a fast swimming speed of 76 mm/s (0.76 body length/s), which is much faster than most of the reported soft robotic fish driven by nonbiological soft materials that swim in body and/or caudal fin propulsion mode. What's more, by applying programmed voltage excitation to the actuating units of the bionic muscle, the robotic fish can be steered along specific trajectories, such as continuous turning motions and an S-shaped routine. This study is beneficial for promoting the design and development of high-performance soft underwater robots, and the adopted biomimetic mechanisms, as well as actuating methods, can be extended to other various flexible devices and soft robots.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruiqian Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chuang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
| | - Yiwei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Lianchao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wenjun Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hengshen Qin
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Feifei Wang
- Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lianqing Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Robotics, Shenyang Institute of Automation, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
- Institutes for Robotics and Intelligent Manufacturing, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang, China
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5
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Ren Z, Sitti M. Design and build of small-scale magnetic soft-bodied robots with multimodal locomotion. Nat Protoc 2024; 19:441-486. [PMID: 38097687 DOI: 10.1038/s41596-023-00916-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Small-scale magnetic soft-bodied robots can be designed to operate based on different locomotion modes to navigate and function inside unstructured, confined and varying environments. These soft millirobots may be useful for medical applications where the robots are tasked with moving inside the human body. Here we cover the entire process of developing small-scale magnetic soft-bodied millirobots with multimodal locomotion capability, including robot design, material preparation, robot fabrication, locomotion control and locomotion optimization. We describe in detail the design, fabrication and control of a sheet-shaped soft millirobot with 12 different locomotion modes for traversing different terrains, an ephyra jellyfish-inspired soft millirobot that can manipulate objects in liquids through various swimming modes, a larval zebrafish-inspired soft millirobot that can adjust its body stiffness for efficient propulsion in different swimming speeds and a dual stimuli-responsive sheet-shaped soft millirobot that can switch its locomotion modes automatically by responding to changes in the environmental temperature. The procedure is aimed at users with basic expertise in soft robot development. The procedure requires from a few days to several weeks to complete, depending on the degree of characterization required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziyu Ren
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany.
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey.
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6
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Yaqoob B, Dottore ED, Mondini A, Rodella A, Mazzolai B, Pugno NM. Towards the optimization of passive undulatory locomotion on land: mathematical and physical models. J R Soc Interface 2023; 20:20230330. [PMID: 37553994 PMCID: PMC10410216 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2023.0330] [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] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study investigates the body-environment interaction and exploits the passive viscoelastic properties of the body to perform undulatory locomotion. The investigations are carried out using a mathematical model based on a dry frictional environment, and the results are compared with the performance obtained using a physical model. The physical robot is a wheel-based modular system with flexible joints moving on different substrates. The influence of the spatial distribution of body stiffness on speed performance is also investigated. Our results suggest that the environment affects the performance of undulatory locomotion based on the distribution of body stiffness. While stiffness may vary with the environment, we have established a qualitative constitutive law that holds across environments. Specifically, we expect the stiffness distribution to exhibit either an ascending-descending or an ascending-plateau pattern along the length of the object, from head to tail. Furthermore, undulatory locomotion showed sensitivity to contact mechanics: solid-solid or solid-viscoelastic contact produced different locomotion kinematics. Our results elucidate how terrestrial limbless animals achieve undulatory locomotion performance by exploiting the passive properties of the environment and the body. Application of the results obtained may lead to better performing long-segmented robots that exploit the suitability of passive body dynamics and the properties of the environment in which they need to move.
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Affiliation(s)
- Basit Yaqoob
- Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento 38122, Italy
- Laboratory of Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Center for Convergent Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Emanuela Del Dottore
- Laboratory of Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Center for Convergent Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Alessio Mondini
- Laboratory of Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Center for Convergent Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Andrea Rodella
- Department of Structural and Geotechnical Engineering, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome 00184, Italy
| | - Barbara Mazzolai
- Laboratory of Bioinspired Soft Robotics, Center for Convergent Technologies, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova 16163, Italy
| | - Nicola M. Pugno
- Laboratory for Bioinspired, Bionic, Nano, Meta Materials and Mechanics, Department of Civil, Environmental and Mechanical Engineering, University of Trento, Trento 38122, Italy
- School of Engineering and Materials Science, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 4NS, UK
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7
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Wang Y, Du X, Zhang H, Zou Q, Law J, Yu J. Amphibious Miniature Soft Jumping Robot with On-Demand In-Flight Maneuver. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2207493. [PMID: 37097734 PMCID: PMC10288233 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202207493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In nature, some semiaquatic arthropods evolve biomechanics for jumping on the water surface with the controlled burst of kinetic energy. Emulating these creatures, miniature jumping robots deployable on the water surface have been developed, but few of them achieve the controllability comparable to biological systems. The limited controllability and agility of miniature robots constrain their applications, especially in the biomedical field where dexterous and precise manipulation is required. Herein, an insect-scale magnetoelastic robot with improved controllability is designed. The robot can adaptively regulate its energy output to generate controllable jumping motion by tuning magnetic and elastic strain energy. Dynamic and kinematic models are developed to predict the jumping trajectories of the robot. On-demand actuation can thus be applied to precisely control the pose and motion of the robot during the flight phase. The robot is also capable of making adaptive amphibious locomotion and performing various tasks with integrated functional modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibin Wang
- School of Science and EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong Kong518172ShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society518172ShenzhenChina
| | - Xingzhou Du
- School of Science and EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong Kong518172ShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society518172ShenzhenChina
| | - Huimin Zhang
- School of Science and EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong Kong518172ShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society518172ShenzhenChina
| | - Qian Zou
- School of Science and EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong Kong518172ShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society518172ShenzhenChina
| | - Junhui Law
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial EngineeringUniversity of TorontoTorontoON M5S 3G8Canada
| | - Jiangfan Yu
- School of Science and EngineeringThe Chinese University of Hong Kong518172ShenzhenChina
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society518172ShenzhenChina
- School of MedicineThe Chinese University of Hong Kong518172ShenzhenChina
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8
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Wang T, Joo HJ, Song S, Hu W, Keplinger C, Sitti M. A versatile jellyfish-like robotic platform for effective underwater propulsion and manipulation. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadg0292. [PMID: 37043565 PMCID: PMC10096580 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adg0292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Underwater devices are critical for environmental applications. However, existing prototypes typically use bulky, noisy actuators and limited configurations. Consequently, they struggle to ensure noise-free and gentle interactions with underwater species when realizing practical functions. Therefore, we developed a jellyfish-like robotic platform enabled by a synergy of electrohydraulic actuators and a hybrid structure of rigid and soft components. Our 16-cm-diameter noise-free prototype could control the fluid flow to propel while manipulating objects to be kept beneath its body without physical contact, thereby enabling safer interactions. Its against-gravity speed was up to 6.1 cm/s, substantially quicker than other examples in literature, while only requiring a low input power of around 100 mW. Moreover, using the platform, we demonstrated contact-based object manipulation, fluidic mixing, shape adaptation, steering, wireless swimming, and cooperation of two to three robots. This study introduces a versatile jellyfish-like robotic platform with a wide range of functions for diverse applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlu Wang
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
| | - Hyeong-Joon Joo
- Robotic Materials Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Shanyuan Song
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Bioinspired Autonomous Miniature Robots Group, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Wenqi Hu
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Bioinspired Autonomous Miniature Robots Group, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
| | - Christoph Keplinger
- Robotic Materials Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
- Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart 70569, Germany
- Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich 8092, Switzerland
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul 34450, Turkey
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9
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Lee YW, Kim JK, Bozuyuk U, Dogan NO, Khan MTA, Shiva A, Wild AM, Sitti M. Multifunctional 3D-Printed Pollen Grain-Inspired Hydrogel Microrobots for On-Demand Anchoring and Cargo Delivery. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2023; 35:e2209812. [PMID: 36585849 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202209812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
While a majority of wireless microrobots have shown multi-responsiveness to implement complex biomedical functions, their functional executions are strongly dependent on the range of stimulus inputs, which curtails their functional diversity. Furthermore, their responsive functions are coupled to each other, which results in the overlap of the task operations. Here, a 3D-printed multifunctional microrobot inspired by pollen grains with three hydrogel components is demonstrated: iron platinum (FePt) nanoparticle-embedded pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA), poly N-isopropylacrylamide (pNIPAM), and poly N-isopropylacrylamide acrylic acid (pNIPAM-AAc) structures. Each of these structures exhibits their respective targeted functions: responding to magnetic fields for torque-driven surface rolling and steering, exhibiting temperature responsiveness for on-demand surface attachment (anchoring), and pH-responsive cargo release. The versatile multifunctional pollen grain-inspired robots conceptualized here pave the way for various future medical microrobots to improve their projected performance and functional diversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Woo Lee
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Jae-Kang Kim
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Ugur Bozuyuk
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Nihal Olcay Dogan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
| | - Muhammad Turab Ali Khan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Anitha Shiva
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Anna-Maria Wild
- 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 Zurich, Zurich, 8092, Switzerland
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey
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10
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Hou Y, Dai Y, Zhang W, Wang M, Zhao H, Feng L. Ultrasound-Based Real-Time Imaging of Hydrogel-Based Millirobots with Volume Change Capability. MICROMACHINES 2023; 14:422. [PMID: 36838121 PMCID: PMC9959195 DOI: 10.3390/mi14020422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Soft-bodied robots driven by external fields have better environmental adaptability, extending their applications. Nature also provides lots of inspiration for shape-morphing robot development, for example, larvae and jellyfish. This paper presents magnetically propelled hydrogel-based millirobots with volume changeability. The millirobot can be imaged in real time in a completely enclosed space with an ultrasound imaging system. Firstly, a custom-designed magnetic generating system with six square coils was introduced to generate a uniform field to propel the robot. The robot was fabricated using hydrogel with a thickness of around 300 μm. After programmable magnetization, the robot could change its shape and move using the rotating magnetic field. With the near-infrared illumination, the robot could shrink and could recover when the illumination stopped. Even when the robot shrank, it could be propelled by the external field, showing its potential usage in complex environments. Moreover, the posture information of the robot including the position and shape could be obtained in real time using ultrasound image technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaxin Hou
- Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Yuguo Dai
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117583, Singapore
| | - Minghui Wang
- NO. 1 Outpatient Department of Xi Cheng District, Beijing Garrison, Beijing 100055, China
| | - Hanxue Zhao
- Department of Diagnostic Ultrasound, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China
| | - Lin Feng
- School of Mechanical Engineering and Automation, Beihang University, Beijing 100191, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Biomedical Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing 100083, China
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11
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Wang Y, Chen H, Law J, Du X, Yu J. Ultrafast Miniature Robotic Swimmers with Upstream Motility. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2023; 4:0015. [PMID: 36939416 PMCID: PMC10019906 DOI: 10.34133/cbsystems.0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
With the development of materials science and micro-nano fabrication techniques, miniature soft robots at millimeter or submillimeter size can be manufactured and actuated remotely. The small-scaled robots have the unique capability to access hard-to-reach regions in the human body in a noninvasive manner. To date, it is still challenging for miniature robots to accurately move in the diverse and dynamic environments in the human body (e.g., in blood flow). To effectively locomote in the vascular system, miniature swimmers with upstream swimming capability are required. Herein, we design and fabricate a miniature robotic swimmer capable of performing ultrafast swimming in a fluidic environment. The maximum velocity of the swimmer in water is 30 cm/s, which is 60 body lengths. Moreover, in a tubular environment, the swimmer can still obtain a swimming velocity of 17 cm/s. The swimmer can also perform upstream swimming in a tubular environment with a velocity of 5 cm/s when the flow speed is 10 cm/s. The ultrasound-guided navigation of the swimmer in a phantom mimicking a blood vessel is also realized. This work gives insight into the design of agile undulatory milliswimmers for future biomedical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yibin Wang
- School of Science and Engineering,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hui Chen
- School of Science and Engineering,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, China
| | - Junhui Law
- Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - Xingzhou Du
- School of Science and Engineering,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jiangfan Yu
- School of Science and Engineering,
The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen, China
- Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen, China
- Address correspondence to:
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12
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Zhang CW, Zou W, Yu HC, Hao XP, Li G, Li T, Yang W, Wu ZL, Zheng Q. Manta Ray Inspired Soft Robot Fish with Tough Hydrogels as Structural Elements. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2022; 14:52430-52439. [PMID: 36351752 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.2c17009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
The design of soft robots capable of navigation underwater has received tremendous research interest due to the robots' versatile applications in marine explorations. Inspired by marine animals such as jellyfish, scientists have developed various soft robotic fishes by using elastomers as the major material. However, elastomers have a hydrophobic network without embedded water, which is different from the gel-state body of the prototypes and results in high contrast to the surrounding environment and thus poor acoustic stealth. Here, we demonstrate a manta ray-inspired soft robot fish with tailored swimming motions by using tough and stiff hydrogels as the structural elements, as well as a dielectric elastomer as the actuating unit. The switching between actuated and relaxed states of this unit under wired power leads to the flapping of the pectoral fins and swimming of the gel fish. This robot fish has good stability and swims with a fast speed (∼10 cm/s) in freshwater and seawater over a wide temperature range (4-50 °C). The high water content (i.e., ∼70 wt %) of the robot fish affords good optical and acoustic stealth properties under water. The excellent mechanical properties of the gels also enable easy integration of other functional units/systems with the robot fish. As proof-of-concept examples, a temperature sensing system and a soft gripper are assembled, allowing the robot fish to monitor the local temperature, raise warning signals by lighting, and grab and transport an object on demand. Such a robot fish should find applications in environmental detection and execution tasks under water. This work should also be informative for the design of other soft actuators and robots with tough hydrogels as the building blocks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuan Wei Zhang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Weifeng Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Hai Chao Yu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Xing Peng Hao
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Guorui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Tiefeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Fluid Power and Mechatronic Systems, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
- Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Center for X-Mechanics, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Zi Liang Wu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
| | - Qiang Zheng
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310027, China
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13
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Wang T, Ugurlu H, Yan Y, Li M, Li M, Wild AM, Yildiz E, Schneider M, Sheehan D, Hu W, Sitti M. Adaptive wireless millirobotic locomotion into distal vasculature. Nat Commun 2022; 13:4465. [PMID: 35915075 PMCID: PMC9343456 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-32059-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Microcatheters have enabled diverse minimally invasive endovascular operations and notable health benefits compared with open surgeries. However, with tortuous routes far from the arterial puncture site, the distal vascular regions remain challenging for safe catheter access. Therefore, we propose a wireless stent-shaped magnetic soft robot to be deployed, actively navigated, used for medical functions, and retrieved in the example M4 segment of the middle cerebral artery. We investigate shape-adaptively controlled locomotion in phantoms emulating the physiological conditions here, where the lumen diameter shrinks from 1.5 mm to 1 mm, the radius of curvature of the tortuous lumen gets as small as 3 mm, the lumen bifurcation angle goes up to 120°, and the pulsatile flow speed reaches up to 26 cm/s. The robot can also withstand the flow when the magnetic actuation is turned off. These locomotion capabilities are confirmed in porcine arteries ex vivo. Furthermore, variants of the robot could release the tissue plasminogen activator on-demand locally for thrombolysis and function as flow diverters, initiating promising therapies towards acute ischemic stroke, aneurysm, arteriovenous malformation, dural arteriovenous fistulas, and brain tumors. These functions should facilitate the robot’s usage in new distal endovascular operations. Accessibility into the distal vascular systems to treat various diseases remains challenging using medical catheters. Here, Wang et al. demonstrate that a stent-shaped wireless magnetic soft robot enables adaptive locomotion and medical functions into these distal vascular regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianlu Wang
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.,Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Halim Ugurlu
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.,Clinic for Neuroradiology, Klinikum Stuttgart, 70174, Stuttgart, Germany.,Department of Biophysics, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Graduate School of Health Sciences, 09010, Aydın, Turkey
| | - Yingbo Yan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Mingtong Li
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Meng Li
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Anna-Maria Wild
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Erdost Yildiz
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Martina Schneider
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Devin Sheehan
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - 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. .,Department of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering, ETH Zurich, 8092, Zurich, Switzerland. .,School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, 34450, Istanbul, Turkey.
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14
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Modeling and Control of IPMC-Based Artificial Eukaryotic Flagellum Swimming Robot: Distributed Actuation. ALGORITHMS 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/a15060181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) are electrically driven materials that undergo bending deformations in the presence of relatively low external voltages, exhibiting a great potential as actuators in applications in soft robotics, microrobotics, and bioengineering, among others. This paper presents an artificial eukaryotic flagellum (AEF) swimming robot made up of IPMC segments for the study of planar wave generation for robot propulsion by single and distributed actuation, i.e., considering the first flagellum link as an actuator or all of them, respectively. The robot comprises three independent and electrically isolated actuators, manufactured over the same 10 mm long IPMC sheet. For control purposes, a dynamic model of the robot is firstly obtained through its frequency response, acquired by experimentally measuring the flagellum tip deflection thanks to an optical laser meter. In particular, two structures are considered for such a model, consisting of a non-integer order integrator in series with a resonant system of both non-integer and integer order. Secondly, the identified models are analyzed and it is concluded that the tip displacement of each actuator or any IPMC point is characterized by the same dynamics, which remains unchanged through the link with mere variations of the gain for low-frequency applications. Based on these results, a controller robust to gain variations is tuned to control link deflection regardless of link length and enabling the implementation of a distributed actuation with the same controller design. Finally, the deflection of each link is analyzed to determine whether an AEF swimming robot based on IPMC is capable of generating a planar wave motion by distributed actuation.
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15
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Xia N, Jin B, Jin D, Yang Z, Pan C, Wang Q, Ji F, Iacovacci V, Majidi C, Ding Y, Zhang L. Decoupling and Reprogramming the Wiggling Motion of Midge Larvae Using a Soft Robotic Platform. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2109126. [PMID: 35196405 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202109126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The efficient motility of invertebrates helps them survive under evolutionary pressures. Reconstructing the locomotion of invertebrates and decoupling the influence of individual basic motion are crucial for understanding their underlying mechanisms, which, however, generally remain a challenge due to the complexity of locomotion gaits. Herein, a magnetic soft robot to reproduce midge larva's key natural swimming gaits is developed, and the coupling effect between body curling and rotation on motility is investigated. Through the authors' systematically decoupling studies using programmed magnetic field inputs, the soft robot (named LarvaBot) experiences various coupled gaits, including biomimetic side-to-side flexures, and unveils that the optimal rotation amplitude and the synchronization of curling and rotation greatly enhance its motility. The LarvaBot achieves fast locomotion and upstream capability at the moderate Reynolds number regime. The soft robotics-based platform provides new insight to decouple complex biological locomotion, and design programmed swimming gaits for the fast locomotion of soft-bodied swimmers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neng Xia
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Bowen Jin
- Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Haidian District, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Dongdong Jin
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Zhengxin Yang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Chengfeng Pan
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Fengtong Ji
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
| | - Veronica Iacovacci
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
- The BioRobotics Institute, Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna, Pisa, 56025, Italy
| | - Carmel Majidi
- Soft Machines Lab, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 15213, USA
| | - Yang Ding
- Beijing Computational Science Research Center, Haidian District, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Li Zhang
- Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
- Chow Yuk Ho Technology Center for Innovative Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
- CUHK T Stone Robotics Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, 999077, China
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16
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Lee YW, Chun S, Son D, Hu X, Schneider M, Sitti M. A Tissue Adhesion-Controllable and Biocompatible Small-Scale Hydrogel Adhesive Robot. ADVANCED MATERIALS (DEERFIELD BEACH, FLA.) 2022; 34:e2109325. [PMID: 35060215 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202109325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Recently, the realization of minimally invasive medical interventions on targeted tissues using wireless small-scale medical robots has received an increasing attention. For effective implementation, such robots should have a strong adhesion capability to biological tissues and at the same time easy controlled detachment should be possible, which has been challenging. To address such issue, a small-scale soft robot with octopus-inspired hydrogel adhesive (OHA) is proposed. Hydrogels of different Young's moduli are adapted to achieve a biocompatible adhesive with strong wet adhesion by preventing the collapse of the octopus-inspired patterns during preloading. Introduction of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel for dome-like protuberance structure inside the sucker wall of polyethylene glycol diacrylate hydrogel provides a strong tissue attachment in underwater and at the same time enables easy detachment by temperature changes due to its temperature-dependent volume change property. It is finally demonstrated that the small-scale soft OHA robot can efficiently implement biomedical functions owing to strong adhesion and controllable detachment on biological tissues while operating inside the body. Such robots with repeatable tissue attachment and detachment possibility pave the way for future wireless soft miniature robots with minimally invasive medical interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun-Woo Lee
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Sungwoo Chun
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Korea University, Sejong, 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Donghoon Son
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- School of Mechanical Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan, 46241, Republic of Korea
| | - Xinghao Hu
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Martina Schneider
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent System, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zürich, Zürich, 8092, Switzerland
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, 34450, Turkey
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17
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Li M, Pal A, Aghakhani A, Pena-Francesch A, Sitti M. Soft actuators for real-world applications. NATURE REVIEWS. MATERIALS 2022; 7:235-249. [PMID: 35474944 PMCID: PMC7612659 DOI: 10.1038/s41578-021-00389-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 80.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Inspired by physically adaptive, agile, reconfigurable and multifunctional soft-bodied animals and human muscles, soft actuators have been developed for a variety of applications, including soft grippers, artificial muscles, wearables, haptic devices and medical devices. However, the complex performance of biological systems cannot yet be fully replicated in synthetic designs. In this Review, we discuss new materials and structural designs for the engineering of soft actuators with physical intelligence and advanced properties, such as adaptability, multimodal locomotion, self-healing and multi-responsiveness. We examine how performance can be improved and multifunctionality implemented by using programmable soft materials, and highlight important real-world applications of soft actuators. Finally, we discuss the challenges and opportunities for next-generation soft actuators, including physical intelligence, adaptability, manufacturing scalability and reproducibility, extended lifetime and end-of-life strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Li
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Aniket Pal
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Amirreza Aghakhani
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Abdon Pena-Francesch
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Macromolecular Science and Engineering, Robotics Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Metin Sitti
- Physical Intelligence Department, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany
- Institute for Biomedical Engineering, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- School of Medicine and College of Engineering, Koç University, Istanbul, Turkey
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18
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Modulus adaptive lubricating prototype inspired by instant muscle hardening mechanism of catfish skin. Nat Commun 2022; 13:377. [PMID: 35046391 PMCID: PMC8770490 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28038-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
In nature, living organisms evolve unique functional components with mechanically adaptive compatibility to cater dynamic change of interface friction/lubrication. This mechanism can be used for developing intelligent artificial lubrication-regulation systems. Inspired by the muscle hardening-triggered lubrication of longsnout catfish, here we report a modulus adaptive lubricating hydrogel prototype consisting of top mucus-like hydrophilic lubricating layer and muscle-like bottom hydrogel that can stiffen via thermal-triggered phase separation. It exhibits instant switch from soft/high frictional state (~0.3 MPa, μ~0.37) to stiff/lubricating state (~120 MPa, μ~0.027) in water upon heating up. Such switchable lubrication is effective for wide range of normal loads and attributed to the modulus-dominated adaptive contact mechanism. As a proof-of-concept, switchable lubricating hydrogel bullets and patches are engineered for realizing controllable interface movements. These important results demonstrate potential applications in the fields of intelligent motion devices and soft robots. Stimuli responsive materials are interesting for applications in different technological fields, but realizing controllable surface friction-control based on the change of the modulus of a material is less investigated. Here the authors demonstrate a lubrication regulating strategy and prototype based on thermally triggered changes of the modulus of a hydrogel.
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19
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Huang C, Lai Z, Wu X, Xu T. Multimodal Locomotion and Cargo Transportation of Magnetically Actuated Quadruped Soft Microrobots. CYBORG AND BIONIC SYSTEMS 2022; 2022:0004. [PMID: 36924475 PMCID: PMC10010670 DOI: 10.34133/cbsystems.0004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Untethered microrobots have attracted extensive attention due to their potential for biomedical applications and micromanipulation at the small scale. Soft microrobots are of great research importance because of their highly deformable ability to achieve not only multiple locomotion mechanisms but also minimal invasion to the environment. However, the existing microrobots are still limited in their ability to locomote and cross obstacles in unstructured environments compared to conventional legged robots. Nature provides much inspiration for developing miniature robots. Here, we propose a bionic quadruped soft thin-film microrobot with a nonmagnetic soft body and 4 magnetic flexible legs. The quadruped soft microrobot can achieve multiple controllable locomotion modes in the external magnetic field. The experiment demonstrated the robot's excellent obstacle-crossing ability by walking on the surface with steps and moving in the bottom of a stomach model with gullies. In particular, by controlling the conical angle of the external conical magnetic field, microbeads gripping, transportation, and release of the microrobot were demonstrated. In the future, the quadruped microrobot with excellent obstacle-crossing and gripping capabilities will be relevant for biomedical applications and micromanipulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenyang Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,SIAT Branch, Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen 518055, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zhengyu Lai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,SIAT Branch, Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen 518055, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xinyu Wu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,SIAT Branch, Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Tiantian Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Robotics and Intelligent System, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China.,SIAT Branch, Shenzhen Institute of Artificial Intelligence and Robotics for Society, Shenzhen 518055, China
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20
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Fan T, Liu Y, Liu H, Wang L, Tian H, Zheng Y, Zheng B, Xue L, Tan F, Xue Q, Gao S, Li C, He J. Comprehensive analysis of a chemokine- and chemokine receptor family-based signature for patients with lung adenocarcinoma. Cancer Immunol Immunother 2021; 70:3651-3667. [PMID: 33977344 DOI: 10.1007/s00262-021-02944-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The clinical significance and comprehensive features of chemokines and their receptors in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) have not been clarified. We aimed to characterize the expression profiles of chemokine and chemokine receptor family members and construct a chemokine- and chemokine receptor-based prognosis signature. A total of 1511 patients with LUAD from seven independent cohorts were included in the study. The training set collected from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database containing 468 cases. The validation was performed on the basis of six different cohorts downloaded from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. A five-chemokine- and chemokine receptor-(CXCL2, CXCL13, CCL26, CCL20, CX3CR1) based prognosis signature was constructed with TCGA dataset using LASSO Cox regression and Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. A multivariate analysis verified that this signature was an independent prognostic factor. The predictive value of this signature was further verified by other six independent cohorts and multiple clinical subtypes. We performed immune cell infiltration analysis and biological pathway analysis which provided more insight into this signature-related immune and inflammatory landscape and clarified the intrinsic molecular mechanism by which this signature could be used to predict clinical prognosis. Furthermore, we explored the close relationship between this signature and tumor mutation burden (TMB), neoantigen burden, PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA4, TIDE score, T cell-inflamed score. This signature provided a robust prognostic biomarker for LUAD and could serve as a predictor for immunotherapy response, which may be used as an important supplement to immunotherapy to achieve individualized tumor treatment by optimizing the prognostic management and immunotherapy for patients with LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Fan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.,Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238th Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China
| | - Yu Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Hengchang Liu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Liyu Wang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - He Tian
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Yujia Zheng
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Bo Zheng
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Liyan Xue
- Department of Pathology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Fengwei Tan
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Qi Xue
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Shungeng Gao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Chunxiang Li
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
| | - Jie He
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China. .,Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, 238th Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430060, China.
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