GeiwBot can climb on walls and ceilings of different textures including glass, polyimide, and aluminum; its climbing behavior is based on dynamic attachment and detachment of a gecko adhesive pad and the periodic body deformation of the inchworm.
The climbing capabilities of living creatures such as geckos, tree frogs, and inchworms provide a promising platform for exploiting biomimetic soft climbing robots. Image credit: Sun et al., doi: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.101241.
GeiwBot was developed by a team of researchers and engineers at the University of Waterloo.
The robot is about 4 cm long, 3 mm wide and 1 mm thick.
It utilizes ultraviolet (UV) light and magnetic force to move on any surface, even up walls and across ceilings.
It is the first soft robot of its kind that doesn’t require connection to an external power supply, enabling remote operation and versatility for potential applications such as assisting surgeons and searching otherwise inaccessible places.
“This work is the first time a holistic soft robot has climbed on inverted surfaces, advancing state-of-the-art soft robotics innovation,” said University of Waterloo’s Professor Boxin Zhao.
“We are optimistic about its potential, with much more development, in several different fields.”
Constructed from a smart material, GeiwBot can be altered at the molecular level to mimic how geckos stick and unstick powerful grippers on their feet.
That enables the robot to climb on a vertical wall and across the ceiling without being tethered to a power source.
The researchers constructed the robot using liquid crystal elastomers and synthetic adhesive pads.
A light-responsive polymer strip simulates the arching and stretching motion of an inchworm, while gecko-inspired magnet pads at either end do the gripping.
“Even though there are still limitations to overcome, this development represents a significant milestone for utilizing biomimicry and smart materials for soft robots,” Professor Zhao said.
“Nature is a great source of inspiration and nanotechnology is an exciting way to apply its lessons.”
An untethered soft robot paves the way for potential surgical applications via remote operation inside the human body and for sensing or searching in dangerous or hard-to-reach places during rescue operations.
“Our next step is to develop a solely light-driven climbing soft robot that doesn’t require a magnetic field and uses near-infrared radiation instead of UV light to improve biocompatibility,” the scientists said.
Their work appears in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science.
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Jian Sun et al. 2023. Gecko-and-inchworm-inspired untethered soft robot for climbing on walls and ceilings. Cell Reports Physical Science 4 (2): 101241; doi: 10.1016/j.xcrp.2022.101241
