Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have developed the ‘world’s first’ soft robots which can be 3D-printed and walk straight off the production line – powered by compressed air.
The plastic devices, which require no electronic parts, represent a potential breakthrough in robotics that can be deployed in critical industries including nuclear decommissioning, the biomedical sector and in space.
Researchers say the development could pave the way for the use of intelligent soft robotic systems with no electronic parts, and overcomes previous design, manufacturing and cost obstacles.
The lead engineer on the project was Maks Gepner, with support from Jonah Mack, both PhD students in the Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Autonomous Systems. The lead academic was Professor Adam A. Stokes, Head of the Institute for Bioengineering at The University of Edinburgh.
Gepner, of the University’s Schools of Engineering and Informatics, said: “It used to take years to figure out how to print using these materials. Using our new platform, anyone can now easily print things which were previously thought to be impossible. This is a game-changer for engineers and artists alike.
“Our hope is that this technology will help drive the next wave of research breakthroughs. Without the long-standing manufacturing and design bottlenecks holding it back, we believe soft robotics is ready to make a major real-world impact.”
The system they designed, a desktop 3D printing system for creating soft robots, is user-friendly and can be assembled for less than £400 using off-the-shelf parts.
Once printed, the palm-sized devices are connected to a compressed air supply before walking out of the machine on which they were made.
Building and operating the new system – known as the Flex Printer – requires little prior knowledge, with first-time users able to assemble it and begin making robots in just a few days, the team says.
They have made their designs publicly available to broaden access to soft robotic technologies and to help foster collaboration and improvements to the system.
The findings are published in the journal Device, part of the prestigious Cell Press group of journals. An open access version of the paper is available here: https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/en/publications/a-standardised-platform-for-translational-advances-in-fluidic-sof. The research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).