The spies of the future may be found in the form of a “meshworm,” according to MIT researchers.
Researchers at MIT, Harvard University and Seoul National University have engineered a soft autonomous robot that moves via peristalsis, crawling across surfaces by contracting segments of its body, much like an earthworm.
The robot, made almost entirely of soft materials, is remarkably resilient, say researchers. When stepped upon or bludgeoned with a hammer, the robot is able to inch away, unscathed.
The research, which was funded by the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is seen as key step towards crafting some of the world’s most stealthy bugs.
“[The] soft body, which is essentially compliant, exhibits large strains and enables the robot to traverse small openings and reconstitute shape, and survives from large impact force on falling,” the engineers wrote.
The team of researchers noted that the meshworm has the ability to withstand various hard conditions. The team noted that each component of the robot are made from flexible parts that can give way when compressed.
“You can throw it, and it won’t collapse. Most mechanical parts are rigid and fragile at small scale, but the parts in Meshworms are all fibrous and flexible,” said mechanical engineering researcher Sangbae Kim in a statement from MIT. “The muscles are soft, and the body is soft … we’re starting to show some body-morphing capability.”
The robotic creature is the latest project that DARPA has invested in. Scientists says robots like the meshworm may have many useful applications, such as next-generation endoscopes, implants and prosthetics. DARPA, naturally, has a research program into Hybrid Insect Micro Electromechanical Systems, one goal of which is to uncover new ways “to harness the natural sensors and power generation of insects.”
The Pentagon has already released statements concerning various projects that seem to emulate the natural world. Earlier this year, DARPA officials announced the creation of Cheetah, an attempt to add some speed to robots with legs. The project set a world record for speed and is widely considered one of the most complex robots on earth.
“Even though the robot’s body is much simpler than a real worm — it has only a few segments — it appears to have quite impressive performance,” says Kellar Autumn, a professor of biology at Lewis and Clark College. “I predict that in the next decade we will see shape-changing artificial muscles in many products, such as mobile phones, portable computers and automobiles.”
While the U.S. military is likely to remain interested in the project, the DARPA project is probably most interesting for its civilian applications. The invention represents a leap forward in soft robotic technology, say researchers, since the artificial muscle is so flexible and durable, it’s bound to be useful in the field of implants and prosthetics.
Details are published in the journal IEEE/ASE Transactions on Mechatronics.
Researchers at MIT, Harvard University and Seoul National University have engineered a soft autonomous robot that moves via peristalsis, crawling across surfaces by contracting segments of its body, much like an earthworm.
The robot, made almost entirely of soft materials, is remarkably resilient, say researchers. When stepped upon or bludgeoned with a hammer, the robot is able to inch away, unscathed.
The research, which was funded by the Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, is seen as key step towards crafting some of the world’s most stealthy bugs.
“[The] soft body, which is essentially compliant, exhibits large strains and enables the robot to traverse small openings and reconstitute shape, and survives from large impact force on falling,” the engineers wrote.
The team of researchers noted that the meshworm has the ability to withstand various hard conditions. The team noted that each component of the robot are made from flexible parts that can give way when compressed.
“You can throw it, and it won’t collapse. Most mechanical parts are rigid and fragile at small scale, but the parts in Meshworms are all fibrous and flexible,” said mechanical engineering researcher Sangbae Kim in a statement from MIT. “The muscles are soft, and the body is soft … we’re starting to show some body-morphing capability.”
The robotic creature is the latest project that DARPA has invested in. Scientists says robots like the meshworm may have many useful applications, such as next-generation endoscopes, implants and prosthetics. DARPA, naturally, has a research program into Hybrid Insect Micro Electromechanical Systems, one goal of which is to uncover new ways “to harness the natural sensors and power generation of insects.”
The Pentagon has already released statements concerning various projects that seem to emulate the natural world. Earlier this year, DARPA officials announced the creation of Cheetah, an attempt to add some speed to robots with legs. The project set a world record for speed and is widely considered one of the most complex robots on earth.
“Even though the robot’s body is much simpler than a real worm — it has only a few segments — it appears to have quite impressive performance,” says Kellar Autumn, a professor of biology at Lewis and Clark College. “I predict that in the next decade we will see shape-changing artificial muscles in many products, such as mobile phones, portable computers and automobiles.”
While the U.S. military is likely to remain interested in the project, the DARPA project is probably most interesting for its civilian applications. The invention represents a leap forward in soft robotic technology, say researchers, since the artificial muscle is so flexible and durable, it’s bound to be useful in the field of implants and prosthetics.
Details are published in the journal IEEE/ASE Transactions on Mechatronics.
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