Modifying soft robots based on a comprehensive strategy
In a pioneering study, researchers at the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) have developed an automated process for designing and fabricating customised soft robots. The research, published in the journal Advanced Materials Technologies with the DOI 10.1002/admt.202100361, was led by Associate Professor Pablo Valdivia y Alvarado.
The team turned to topology optimisation (TO), where mathematical models are employed to design bespoke structures within a set of constraints, to ensure that these robots are optimally designed. They used a swimming autonomous robot inspired by batoids for their study.
The researchers found that the soft robot with the optimised composite fins was 50% faster than its counterpart with the traditionally casted soft fin, with a speed slightly higher than the robot with the hard fin. The same prototype with the composite fin also turned roughly 30% faster compared to the soft fin and had the smallest turning radius among the three robots, making it better at maneuvering through water.
Customising optical, thermal, electrical, and other physico-chemical properties was found to be interesting for other applications, according to Dr. Valdivia y Alvarado. He suggested that tailoring the electrical conductivity of certain portions of the structure could be an objective in topology optimisation for building a sensor.
Embedded 3D printing, wherein various material inks are extruded in a supportive matrix, is especially suited for fabricating soft robots made of multiple materials or composites. This method can be applied to other kinds of soft robots, allowing their mechanical properties to be tailored in an accessible manner.
3D printing or additive manufacturing is slowly coming into play as it facilitates repeatability and allows more complex designs, improving quality and performance. Most soft robots are still fabricated through manual casting techniques, limiting the complexity and geometries that can be achieved.
Dr. Valdivia y Alvarado mentioned that the workflow for fabricating optimised, multi-material soft robots can be universally applied to design other soft robots. He believes that this automated process will revolutionise the field of soft robotics, opening up a world of possibilities for these pliable machines inspired by the flexible forms of living organisms, which have wide applications in sensing, movement, object grasping, and manipulation.
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