in an article published in nature at the end of august, a group of researchers from harvard university announced the creation of octobot, the world’s first robot built with soft materials. according to the report, scientists believed that a robot made from soft, “deformable” materials would be “better able to grasp and manipulate unknown objects and to move on unstructured and rough terrains.”
(youtube)
octobot, which is shaped like an octopus and only slightly larger than a standard sd card, has eight arms that move by the expansion and contraction of compartments linked to a fluidic-pneumatic network that is powered by a hydrogen peroxide solution. the solution passes across a platinum-based catalyst to decompose into gas that inflates the actuators, which creates arm movement.
as a report on cnn noted, robots generally include batteries and electronic controls, which would require thermal management techniques. the soft robot proves that those boundaries for creating a robot are not necessary.
while octobot is only the first step towards soft robots, it proves that the concept is possible. scientists are hoping that the next development will include swimming and responding to the environment.
learn more about octobot at http://www.nature.com/news/beyond-terminator-squishy-octobot-heralds-new-era-of-soft-robotics-1.20487. read the full report from the researchers at http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v536/n7617/full/nature19100.html.
watch a video of octobot below:
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