A simple tube-shaped 鈥�4D-printed聽robot鈥� can roll uphill, carry a load and navigate an unpredictable landscape.
at Tianjin University in China and his colleagues designed the robot, which is built from a flat rectangular sheet of 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomer. When the surface that this sheet is placed on is heated above 160掳C, the sheet self-assembles by rolling into a tubular form, taking on the appearance of a piece of hollow, spiral spaghetti.
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This change in shape over time adds a fourth dimension to the construction process, making this what the researchers call a 4D-printed robot.
The robot automatically rolls forward in one direction after it forms into a tube as contact with the hot surface induces a strain in the material. The force of this forward motion is enough to allow the robot to climb inclines of up to 20 degrees and to pull loads. It can even navigate an uneven surface, but if the height difference is too big for it to climb, the robot will change direction.
鈥淭his little robot gave us a great surprise. Especially when it climbed over two pieces of glass and turned back when blocked by three pieces of glass,鈥� says Feng. 鈥淎t that moment, it seemed that the little thing had life.鈥�
The robots can work at temperatures of up to 200掳C.
鈥淪uch an untethered soft robot is robust enough to surmount an obstacle and climb on a tilted surface, presenting broad potentials in tactile perception, cargo transportation and unknown surface exploration,鈥� says at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Other robots would require various electronic components before they could perform the transportation and exploration tasks that this robot is capable of, says Feng. 鈥淲hat we value the most is the autonomy and tactile adaptability of this robot.鈥�
Before it can be used for more complex tasks, researchers will need to add some form of remote control to the prototype, to guide its movement.
