Scientists on the Max-Planck-Institute for Clever Techniques (MPI-IS) have developed hexagon-shaped robotic parts, known as modules, that may be snapped collectively LEGO-style into high-speed robots that may be rearranged for various capabilities. The workforce of researchers from the Robotic Supplies Division at MPI-IS, led by Christoph Keplinger, built-in synthetic muscle tissue into hexagonal exoskeletons which can be embedded with magnets, permitting for fast mechanical and electrical connections. The workforce’s work, “Hexagonal electrohydraulic modules for quickly reconfigurable high-speed robots” might be printed in Science Robotics on September 18, 2024.
Six light-weight inflexible plates produced from glass fiber function the exoskeleton of every HEXEL module. The interior joints of the hexagons are pushed by hydraulically amplified self-healing electrostatic (HASEL) synthetic muscle tissue. Making use of a excessive voltage to the module causes the muscle to activate, rotating the joints of the hexagon and altering its form from lengthy and slender to broad and flat.
“Combining mushy and inflexible parts on this means permits excessive strokes and excessive speeds. By connecting a number of modules, we will create new robotic geometries and repurpose them for altering wants,” says Ellen Rumley, a visiting researcher from the College of Colorado Boulder. She and Zachary Yoder, who’re each Ph.D. college students working within the Robotic Supplies Division, are co-first authors of the publication.
In a video, the workforce reveals the various behaviors that may be created with HEXEL modules. A gaggle of modules crawls via a slender hole, whereas a single module actuates so quick that it will probably leap into the air. A number of modules are related into bigger buildings that produce completely different motions relying on how the modules are connected. As an example, the workforce mixed a number of modules right into a robotic which quickly rolls.
“Basically, it makes loads of sense to develop robots with reconfigurable capabilities. It is a sustainable design possibility — as an alternative of shopping for 5 completely different robots for 5 completely different functions, we will construct many various robots through the use of the identical parts. Robots produced from reconfigurable modules could possibly be rearranged on demand to supply extra versatility than specialised methods, which could possibly be useful in resource-limited environments”, Yoder concludes.