Scientists create shape-changing robot controlled by light, magnet
WASHINGTON. KAZINFORM Scientists in the United States developed a kind of remotely-controlled soft robots that can move to a targeted position and be reconfigured into new shapes, revealing potential applications in biotechnology and aerospace.
The studypublished on Friday in the journal Science Advances described the soft robotsmade of a polymer embedded with magnetic iron microparticles, and controlled bylight and magnetic fields, Xinhua reports.
«Wecan get it to hold a given shape; we can then return the robot to its originalshape or further modify its movement; and we can do this repeatedly,» saidthe paper's corresponding author Joe Tracy, professor of materials science andengineering at North Carolina State University.
Theresearchers used light from a light-emitting diode (LED) to heat up thematerial that is relatively stiff under normal conditions, and the polymerbecame pliable. Then, they demonstrated that the robot's shape can be remotelycontrolled by applying a magnetic field.
After therobot took a desired shape, the researchers removed the LED light, and then therobot resumed the original stiffness, locking the shape in place.
In anexperimental test, the researchers used the soft robot as a «grabber»for lifting and transporting objects. Also, it can be folded into«flowers» with petals that bend in different directions.
Inaddition, the researchers developed a computational model to fine-tune therobot's shape, polymer thickness, and the size and direction of the requiredmagnetic field, which helps make a prototype design to accomplish a specifictask.
Now, theyare working to engineer polymers that respond at different temperatures inorder to meet the needs of specific applications.