A team of engineering researchers has made a fundamental advance in controlling so-called soft robots, using magnetic fields to remotely manipulate microparticle chains embedded in soft robotic devices. The researchers have already created several devices that make use of the new technique.
“By putting these self-assembling chains into soft robots, we are able to have them perform more complex functions while still retaining relatively simple designs,” says Joe Tracy, an associate professor of materials science and engineering at North Carolina State University and corresponding author of a paper on the work. “Possible applications for these devices range from remotely triggered pumps for drug delivery to the development of remotely deployable structures.”
The new technique builds on previous work in the field of self-assembling, magnetically actuated composites by Tracy and Orlin Velev, the INVISTA Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at NC State.
For this study, the researchers introduced iron microparticles into a liquid polymer mixture and then applied a magnetic field to induce the microparticles to form parallel chains. The mixture was then dried, leaving behind an elastic polymer thin film embedded with the aligned chains of magnetic particles.
“The chains allow us to manipulate the polymer remotely as a soft robot by controlling a magnetic field that affects the chains of magnetic particles,” Tracy says.
Specifically, the direction of the magnetic field and its strength can be varied. The chains of iron microparticles respond by aligning themselves and the surrounding polymer in the same direction as the applied magnetic field.
Using this technique, the researchers have created three kinds of soft robots. One device is a cantilever that can lift up to 50 times its own weight. The second device is an accordion-like structure that expands and contracts, mimicking the behavior of muscle. The third device is a tube that is designed to function as a peristaltic pump – a compressed section travels down the length of the tube, much like someone squeezing out the last bit of toothpaste by running their finger along the tube.
“We’re now working to improve both the control and the power of these devices, to advance the potential of soft robotics,” Tracy says.
The researchers have also developed a metric for assessing the performance of magnetic lifters, such as the cantilever device.
“We do this by measuring the amount of weight being lifted and taking into account both the mass of particles in the lifter and the strength of the magnetic field being applied,” says Ben Evans, co-author of the paper and an associate professor of physics at Elon University. “We think this is a useful tool for researchers in this area who want to find an empirical way to compare the performance of different devices.”
Learn more: Researchers Control Soft Robots Using Magnetic Fields
[osd_subscribe categories=’soft-robots’ placeholder=’Email Address’ button_text=’Subscribe Now for any new posts on the topic “SOFT ROBOTS”‘]
The Latest on: Soft robots
[google_news title=”” keyword=”soft robots” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Soft robots
- Soft robotic nerve cuffs could revolutionize treatment of neurological conditionson April 26, 2024 at 5:49 pm
Researchers have developed tiny, flexible devices that can wrap around individual nerve fibres without damaging them.
- China’s S1 robot impresses with its ‘human-like’ speed and precisionon April 26, 2024 at 8:34 am
In a video released by the firm, its humanoid S1 is seen doing household tasks at an unprecedented pace, which marks a significant advancement for a robot. The firm claims that S1 can perform ...
- Video of super-fast, super-smooth humanoid robot will drop your jawon April 26, 2024 at 3:51 am
While it seems that another humanoid robot is being released every week, we've yet to see one move as quickly or with as much precision as the model just released by Chinese company, Astribot. We dare ...
- Underwater robot pioneers new energy-efficient buoyancy controlon April 25, 2024 at 11:17 am
A remotely operated underwater robot built by a team of Rice University engineering students pioneers a new way to control buoyancy via water-splitting fuel cells. The device, designed and constructed ...
- This robot can predict a smile before it happenson April 24, 2024 at 11:17 am
STORY: This AI-integrated robotic face can predict a smile before it happens.It's called Emo and it can anticipate and mimic human facial expressions.Engineers at Columbia University’s Creative ...
- 3D Printed Soft Skin Pads Offer Enhanced Safety and Usability in Roboticson April 23, 2024 at 9:00 am
Researchers at the University of Illinois have leveraged 3D printing to develop soft skin pads to enhance safety and usability in robotics.
- Industrial Robots and Their Human Counterpartson April 23, 2024 at 8:35 am
The conversation around robots and their use in manufacturing has long been controversial. Many fear that the introduction of robots into the workplace will displace human jobs. In some respects, yes, ...
- This robot is tackling litter on Belle Isle Beachon April 22, 2024 at 9:13 am
If you’re looking to automate more of your home cleaning setup, iRobot’s flagship Roomba Combo J9+ is on sale for $400 off. The vacuum-mop hybrid robot, which only arrived last fall, has a redesigned ...
- How 3D printers can give robots a soft touchon April 17, 2024 at 2:36 pm
Soft skin coverings and touch sensors have emerged as a promising feature for robots that are both safer and more intuitive for human interaction, but they are expensive and difficult to make. A ...
via Bing News