Robotic Inchworms Could Find Their Way Into Industrial and Prosthetic Applications
A team of engineers from the University of Glasgow have developed robots inspired by the movements of inchworms and earthworms.
Engineers from the University of Glasgow have designed tiny robots inspired by the movements of inchworms and earthworms and are capable of “feeling” their surroundings. The robotic worms can stretch nine times their own length and are capable of proprioception or perceiving their position in space. That ability enables the soft robots to squeeze through tight spaces where their rigid counterparts can’t reach.
The inchworm magnetobots were designed using intrinsic strain sensors covered in a plastic EcoFlex skin and graphite paste. Tiny magnets at each end of the robot help it move along metal surfaces, while sensors in their skin allow them to sense their movements by measuring the electrical resistance of the graphite paste, which changes as the robots expand. When a certain expanse threshold is reached, the body retracts, pushing the robotic worms forward.
The team hopes their breakthrough could lead to a new generation of soft robots capable of autonomously exploring hard-to-reach places and used in applications such as mining, construction and search and rescue operations. They also feel they could be used for cutting-edge, life-like prosthetics and new robotic grippers capable of handling irregular-shaped objects.