Researchers from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York created a soft robot that has a self-healing ability to operate longer. Once the robot detects an injury, it can self-heal from cuts without external intervention.
(Photo : TAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images)
Ithaca, UNITED STATES: Velinda Camo, a medical technologist, places prepared samples taken from birds at a live poultry market in New York City into a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) analysis machine for a test, 23 February 2006 at Cornell University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Ithaca, New York as part of the Live Bird Market Surveillance Program for New York state which monitors for avian influenza viruses, or bird flu.
Ithaca, UNITED STATES: Velinda Camo, a medical technologist, places prepared samples taken from birds at a live poultry market in New York City into a PCR (polymerase chain reaction) analysis machine for a test, 23 February 2006 at Cornell University's Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Ithaca, New York as part of the Live Bird Market Surveillance Program for New York state which monitors for avian influenza viruses, or bird flu.
Developing a Soft Self-Healing Robot
A soft robot was created by engineers and researchers from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, that has the ability to self-heal once it detects an injury. Interesting Engineering reported that the team was led by Cornell Engineering Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Associate Professor Rob Shepherd.
Shepherd aimed to create a robot that could detect damages on its own. By the optical sensors and a composite material, it became possible. A stretchable fiber optic sensor from his Organic Robotic Labs has used to make the robot.
The robot is shaped like the letter X, 12 centimeters long, and uses compressed air that is pushed through its body for its four legs to lift and undulate.
He stated, "Our lab is always trying to make robots more enduring and agile, so they operate longer with more capabilities. If you make robots operate for a long time, they're going to accumulate damage. And so how can we allow them to repair or deal with that damage?"
SHeaLDS
Through an optical waveguide, LED lights will be sent through and will be followed by a chip that will allow the flow of current. This will detect changes in the beam's intensity for the robot to acknowledge that it is damaged. Despite being pierced or cut, waveguides can still transmit light.
A polyurethane urea elastomer, a stretchable material that combines hydrogen bonds, and disulfide exchanges are all integrated to the sensors. This resulted in developing the Self Healing Light Guides for Dynamic Sensing, SHeaLDS for short, that is resistant to any damages and can heal itself from cuts without external intervention.
According to the published study in Science Advances, researchers installed SHeaLDS in a soft robot with a feedback control installed. They punctured one of the legs six times, and expectedly, the damages were detected and healed in just a minute. The robot could also adapt its gait automatically once the damage has been sensed.
Also Read: How Robots Transform Food Supply Chain; Will Humans Be Replaced?
Potential Use
Soft robots that have self-healing ability could help in working in hazardous environments. New Scientist reported that self-healing sensors could be innovated into wearable devices, especially for space-related missions, where the sensor could be its protection against space debris.
Related Article: Scientists Create A 'Self-Healing Coating' that Erases Car Scratches After 30 Mins of Sunlight!
