Bio-inspired untethered fully soft robots in liquid actuated by induced energy gradients.

ABSTRACT: Soft robotics with new designs, fabrication technologies and control strategies inspired by nature have been totally changing our view on robotics. To fully exploit their potential in practical applications, untethered designs are preferred in implementation. However, hindered by the limited thermal/mechanical performance of soft materials, it has been always challenging for researchers to implement untethered solutions, which generally involve rigid forms of high energy-density power sources or high energy-density processes. A number of insects in nature, such as rove beetles, can gain a burst of kinetic energy from the induced surface-energy gradient on water to return to their familiar habitats, which is generally known as Marangoni propulsion. Inspired by such a behavior, we report the

SUBMITTER: Lyu LX 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8291417 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature