Posted in | News | Biomimetic Robotics

Soft Autonomous Robot Crawls Like an Earthworm

MIT, Seoul National University, and Harvard University and researchers have designed a soft, highly flexible autonomous robot that performs peristalsis movement similar to that of an earthworm.

Soft autonomous robot inches along like an earthworm

Dubbed "Meshworm", the robot features a versatile meshlike tube. An "artificial muscle" was made from contractible nickel and titanium wire wound around in a segment like fashion. The segments were treated with current by compressing the mesh tube, making the robot move forward. Demonstration on this design was presented in the journal IEEE/ASME Transactions on Mechatronics.

Engineering soft actuators, or motors for driving robots remained a challenge. However, robot can be set in motion by pumping compressed air through it.

Earthworms have two main muscle groups such as circular muscle fibers and longitudinal muscle fibers, enabling the worm to move in inches.

The team also focused on earthworm-like soft, peristalsis-driven system. By winding and heat-sealing a sheet of polymer mesh, scientists created a long, flexible spring-like tubular body. A nickel-titanium alloy was used for creating artificial muscle.

Based on the ratio of nickel to titanium, the alloy can fluctuate with heat. The alloy remains in austenite phase beyond a specific temperature, while shifting to a martensite phase when the temperature becomes low.

A tightly coiled nickel-titanium wire was wrapped around the mesh tube, imitating the earthworm’s circular muscle fibers. A small battery and circuit board was equipped to the tube, through which the wire gets heated by the current at certain segments along the body, thereby making the robot move forward. The algorithms formulated by the researchers control the wire's heating and cooling patterns.

Direction of the robot can be controlled by equipping it with wires coiled along its length.

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the Terms and conditions of use of this website.

Citations

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

  • APA

    Kaur, Kalwinder. (2019, February 20). Soft Autonomous Robot Crawls Like an Earthworm. AZoRobotics. Retrieved on December 14, 2024 from https://www.azorobotics.com/News.aspx?newsID=3108.

  • MLA

    Kaur, Kalwinder. "Soft Autonomous Robot Crawls Like an Earthworm". AZoRobotics. 14 December 2024. <https://www.azorobotics.com/News.aspx?newsID=3108>.

  • Chicago

    Kaur, Kalwinder. "Soft Autonomous Robot Crawls Like an Earthworm". AZoRobotics. https://www.azorobotics.com/News.aspx?newsID=3108. (accessed December 14, 2024).

  • Harvard

    Kaur, Kalwinder. 2019. Soft Autonomous Robot Crawls Like an Earthworm. AZoRobotics, viewed 14 December 2024, https://www.azorobotics.com/News.aspx?newsID=3108.

Tell Us What You Think

Do you have a review, update or anything you would like to add to this news story?

Leave your feedback
Your comment type
Submit

While we only use edited and approved content for Azthena answers, it may on occasions provide incorrect responses. Please confirm any data provided with the related suppliers or authors. We do not provide medical advice, if you search for medical information you must always consult a medical professional before acting on any information provided.

Your questions, but not your email details will be shared with OpenAI and retained for 30 days in accordance with their privacy principles.

Please do not ask questions that use sensitive or confidential information.

Read the full Terms & Conditions.