An article published in the journal “Nature” describes the creation of an Octobot, a robot with the appearance of an octopus produced using soft materials. A Harvard University team put together various disciplines combining mechanical engineering and microfluidics to create with a 3D printer and other production methods a small prototype equipped with an autonomous programming.
Experiments to construct robots made of soft materials have already been conducted to make them able to interact with environments with less risks than traditional robots built with rigid materials. The point is to prevent damage to the objects they touch, not to mention living beings. However, electronic parts, meaning processors, circuit boards and batteries, so far remained rigid. The Octobot represents a step forward.
This new research was led by Robert Wood, the Charles River Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences and Jennifer A. Lewis, the Hansjorg Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) led the research. Both of them are also members of another Harvard faculty, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering.
An innovative approach allowed to 3D print with a number of parts needed to assemble the Octobot’s soft body. The octopus is a source of inspiration in experiments with soft robots because it’s a creature that represents an ideal model in this type of research thanks to the fact that it has no skeleton and can perform complex tasks that require dexterity and strength.
The Octobot is based on a pneumatic system that uses hydrogen peroxide which, as a result of a reaction inside the robot, is converted into gas that is transported in the tentacles inflating them and consequently move. The reaction is based on the use of platinum as a catalyst and this allows to replace a rigid energy source such as conventional batteries.
In addition to 3D print the Octobot production used molding, understood, and soft lithography. Those are well-established technologies that allowed a quick production of the various Octobot components together with additive production and integrated design strategies.
The next step for the Harvard team will be to build a bigger Octobot to conduct practical test of its ability to move on land, swim in water and interact with the surrounding environment. Ryan Truby, one of the article authors and a team member, stated that he hopes that their approach will inspire other robot manufacturers, materials scientists and researchers working on advanced manufacturing.
The creation of soft robots is just at the beginning and there’s a lot of development potential. One of the many possible uses is for rescue, where classic rigid robots would risk hurting a person. In the coming years we can expect the beginning of a new era of robotics.
