Soft Robots

A robotic fabric that stretches, contracts and is embedded with sensors could lead to a new class of soft robots with sensory “skin” that are less sensitive to vibration than conventional electronic hardware, yet rugged enough to explore extraterrestrial terrains. The material might also be used to create robotic garments, much like exoskeletons that augment the power of human limbs to help stroke victims walk or enable soldiers to carry heavy equipment long distances.

The cotton material contains shape-memory alloy threads that coil when heated, causing the fabric to contract, similar to a muscle. When oriented in one direction around a piece of foam or an inflated balloon, it produces a bending motion, moving forward like an inchworm. When oriented in a different direction, it produces a peristaltic motion. Flexible polymer sensors embedded in the fabric provide feedback and information about the environment. The new material will enable robots to be more flexible and versatile by moving much of the functionality to the electronic “skin.”