The 3D hexapod robot, which can be created on a 3D printer, is capable of walking without needing to be assembled first. This novel design, created at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is nearly able to walk off the printer of its own accord.

The robot operates by spinning a crankshaft that delivers fluid to its legs, propelling the automated device. Only the motor and the battery cannot be created on a 3D printer, while the rest of the body and mechanisms may be printed in a single step, without the need for assembly.

"Among the robot's key parts are several sets of 'bellows' 3D-printed directly into its body. To propel the robot, the bellows use fluid pressure that is translated into a mechanical force," MIT researchers reported on their website. The team also printed a gear pump for continuous fluid flow as an alternative to the bellows.

This is the first time any team of researchers have developed a system for printing both solid and liquid components of a mechanism at the same time. Liquid components are among the more challenging tasks for 3D printers, usually requiring additional printing and human intervention to complete.

The ability to print both solid and liquid components simultaneously could greatly reduce the time and cost of producing robots in the future, potentially leading to a new generation of automated devices. Manufacturing takes place as the 3D printer deposits fine droplets of the fluid within cells as they are produced. Solid components are exposed to an ultraviolet light to harden.

The dual-manufacturing process was demonstrated, for the first time, by creating a hexapod robot less than 6 inches long and weighing 24 ounces. The same technology may also be employed to produce parts for larger devices, including artificial limbs. Inexpensive robots, which can be quickly produced on a 3D printer, may also be utilized during rescue efforts in environments that could be hazardous to human beings.

Printable hydraulics could pave the way to a future where robots are found everywhere, carrying out tasks that humans are unable, or unwilling, to undertake. The possibilities from the new technology are nearly limitless.

Development of the novel 3D printing technique was detailed in an article published on the MIT website.