Abstract

Soft, worm-like robots show promise in complex and constrained environments due to their robust, yet simple movement patterns. Although many such robots have been developed, they either rely on tethered power supplies and complex designs or cannot move external loads. To address these issues, we here introduce a novel, maggot-inspired, magnetically driven “mag-bot” that utilizes shape memory alloy-induced, thermoresponsive actuation and surface pattern-induced anisotropic friction to achieve locomotion inspired by fly larvae. This simple, untethered design can carry cargo that weighs up to three times its own weight with only a 17% reduction in speed over unloaded conditions thereby demonstrating, for the first time, how soft, untethered robots may be used to carry loads in controlled environments. Given their small scale and low cost, we expect that these mag-bots may be used in remote, confined spaces for small objects handling or as components in more complex designs.

Details

Title
Locomotion of an untethered, worm-inspired soft robot driven by a shape-memory alloy skeleton
Author
Xu, Lin 1 ; Wagner, Robert J. 2 ; Liu, Siyuan 3 ; He, Qingrui 3 ; Li, Tao 3 ; Pan, Wenlong 3 ; Feng, Yu 3 ; Feng, Huanhuan 3 ; Meng, Qingguang 3 ; Zou, Xiang 3 ; Fu, Yu 3 ; Shi, Xingling 4 ; Zhao, Dongliang 5 ; Ding, Jianning 3 ; Vernerey, Franck J. 2 

 Jiangsu University, Institute of Intelligent Flexible Mechatronics, Zhenjiang, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.440785.a) (ISNI:0000 0001 0743 511X); Chinese Academy of Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Solid Lubrication, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Lanzhou, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.9227.e) (ISNI:0000000119573309) 
 University of Colorado at Boulder, Department of Mechanical Engineering & Material Science and Engineering Program, Boulder, USA (GRID:grid.266190.a) (ISNI:0000000096214564) 
 Jiangsu University, Institute of Intelligent Flexible Mechatronics, Zhenjiang, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.440785.a) (ISNI:0000 0001 0743 511X) 
 Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Zhenjiang, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.510447.3) (ISNI:0000 0000 9970 6820) 
 Southeast University, School of Energy and Environment, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China (GRID:grid.263826.b) (ISNI:0000 0004 1761 0489) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2691948642
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.