Robot worm from Seoul National University

The source of inspiration for creating a new robot was nature itself, specifically used the method of movement of the moth caterpillar. Maybe this is not the fastest way to travel, when compared with the wheels and legs, but it has an undeniable advantage: quiet movement in tight spaces.

In a published paper in the journal Bioinspiration & Biomimetics, Wei Wang and other researchers from Seoul National University describe the experience of designing and building a robot with a similar motion principle. Above you can see how he crawls.
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The caterpillar has two or three pairs of legs on the front and two or three foot-like structures on the back of its body, called false legs. As a rule, the length of this stage of development of the moth does not exceed several centimeters.

The insect does not have bones, but thanks to its complex muscular system, they can perform a variety of movements, including standing upright on their paws.

Researchers used the material polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), a silicone polymer, to follow the body of the caterpillar. The mold for casting was made on a 3D printer and the body of the future robot was cast, and then the polyamide film legs were made in front and behind. The role of muscular fibers was performed by eight threads with a longitudinal memory effect, passing through the whole body of the robot.

A live worm sets itself in motion as follows: it first clings to the hind legs, and then moves the front ones, straightening its body. Tenaciously holding the front and releasing the rear, he again bends his body for the next step.

The process is repeated to continue the movement. The robot moves in the same way. To control its movement, you need to apply special electrical signals to artificial muscles. Movement is possible both forward and backward.

Thus, the robot was able to advance in one such small step by 54 millimeters, which is one third of the length of its body. The rate was 3.6 mm / s. The prototype is capable of turning 4.3 ° per step. Turning 90 ° is more difficult and requires 21 threads, but it's still much better than previous attempts.


Muscle structures of the moth caterpillar

In the future, the mobility of the robot will be improved using an independent control system, and the researchers plan to use motion control algorithms to improve the performance of other similar devices.

The robot is simple, light and quiet, which can allow it to be used for rescue operations when parsing debris or when exploring the terrain. Also, such structures can be very useful in wearable devices. The researchers hope to achieve the creation of soft prostheses and other mechanical devices.

Based on phys.org .