Researchers have created flexible, four-legged soft robots using a new 3-D printing system. These robots do not have any electronic parts. The development could lead to intelligent soft robots being used in many fields.
Scientists at the Edinburgh Centre for Robotics say these “soft machines” are made from soft plastics and other flexible materials. They believe these robots could be very useful in areas like nuclear decommissioning, medicine, and space exploration.
Until now, soft robots have not been widely used. This is because there has been no standard way to design or make them. Also, they have been expensive and needed expert skills to build.
To solve these problems, a team at the University of Edinburgh created a low-cost, desktop 3-D printer. This printer can make soft robots quickly and cheaply. It costs less than £400 to build using common parts.
The team tested the printer by making small robots from soft plastic. These robots are powered by air pressure. After printing, they connect the robots to a compressed air supply. Then, the robots can walk right off the printer.
The new printer, called the “Flex Printer,” is easy to use. Even people with no experience can build it and start making robots within a few days.
To encourage wider use, the researchers have shared their designs with the public. They hope this will help others improve the technology and create more soft robots.
The research results are published in the journal Device, which is part of the Cell Press group. The work was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
The project’s lead engineer is Maks Gepner, supported by Jonah Mack. Both are PhD students at the Centre for Doctoral Training in Robotics and Autonomous Systems. The lead academic is Professor Adam A. Stokes, who heads the Institute for Bioengineering at the University of Edinburgh.
Maks Gepner said: “It used to take years to learn how to 3-D print with these materials. Now, with our new platform, anyone can easily print things that were once impossible. This is a major change for engineers and artists. We hope this technology will lead to many new research breakthroughs. Without the old limits in manufacturing and design, we believe soft robotics is ready to make a real impact in the world.”
