Scientists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have a robot shown that self-fold on a heating element. Then swims or moves to the small robot continued by an externally generated magnetic field.
Researchers from MIT and the Technical University of Munich worked together on the droid, that Wednesday was presented in the International Conference on Robotics and Automation in Seattle. The project was one of the finalists in the category for ‘Best Conference Paper’.
In initial condition, measure the square robot is 1.7 at 1.7 cm; the weight amounts to 0,31 g. The apparatus consists of a cubic permanent neodymium-magnet surrounded by a plate of pvc, which is between two layers of polystyrene or paper, sandwiched for strength. The outside is in certain places intersected with fold lines. Before the robot works, it must itself first fold. That is done by the robot on a verhittingselement. Therefore, shrink the pvc, so within a minute, the final form is created.
Once done, can the device be moved over a work surface. The researchers use four electromagnets each of which is a corner cover to the robot in the desired direction to drift. The magnetic field is turned on and off with a frequency of 15 Hz. The magnet in the robot oscillates, so the ‘legs’ of the apparatus alternately come into contact with the surface. Because the robot is intentionally not balanced, ‘” he a certain direction, with speeds of up to 3 to 4 cm/s. Steering is done by the magnetic field generated by the electromagnets under the surface to change.
The advantage of a folded robot is above a flat device is that he is also on a water surface is working. In addition, the design according to the researchers, more efficient for moving objects; they show a video of how the device to move an object that is twice as heavy as he is. In addition, the robot for each task can be optimized. According to the researchers, it would be vouwproces also in multiple steps can take place, so that the robot each task as well as possible can be carried out.
When the device is ready, it can simply in acetone to be thrown out. The robot solves its own accord, only the magnet stays behind. In the future, should the outer layer of the robot to be made from a material that dissolves in water. The researchers also want to sensors integrated in the robot, so that it can work autonomous. Eventually, they see applications for their invention in the human body.