Within the existence of robotics , squishiness has for some time been something of a holy Holy Grail , with engineers seek to create machines with no grueling components , allowing for greater crookedness and the ability to squeeze through pissed space .
Octopusesare the staring naturally - occur pattern for such a golem , thanks to their capacity tomorph and warp their bodiesdepending on the obstacles they encounter . Bringing cephalopod innovation into the future , a team of scientists from Harvard has now created the “ octobot ” , which has the award of being the earth ’s first soft - bodied robot .
Until now , mostsoft robotshad included at least some hard component , such as fuel containers , cables , or other mogul sources . However , compose in the journalNature , the octobot Lord excuse how they subdue this job by3D - printingthe silicon octopus ’s dead body , complete with “ on - board fuel reservoirs and catalytic response chambers ” that hive away hydrogel - establish inks within its tentacles .
These ink contain platinum particles , which react with hydrogen peroxide for unloose oxygen and water vapor . This stimulate the robot ’s munition to inflate and flex , with a series of valves and switches controlling the move of gas in orderliness to ensure that while some tentacles expand , others contract , thereby propel the octobot forward . At present tense , the subject authors have not come up with a way of steering the robot , although now that they have got it moving they plan to inquire methods to control the direction of its jab .
Less than 2 centimeters ( 0.8 column inch ) high and roughly the size of it of a human palm , the current model of the robot can go for between four and eight minutes before exhausting its hydrogen hydrogen peroxide supply , although great version should be able to delay active for longer periods between refuels .
Once perfected , this engineering could have a immense telephone number of pragmatic applications , leading to the creation of extremely agile robotics that may be of use in responding to parking brake or military surveillance .
