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Hydraulic hydrogel actuators and robots optically and sonically camouflaged in water

Author

Listed:
  • Hyunwoo Yuk

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Shaoting Lin

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Chu Ma

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Mahdi Takaffoli

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Nicolas X. Fang

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Xuanhe Zhao

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Sea animals such as leptocephali develop tissues and organs composed of active transparent hydrogels to achieve agile motions and natural camouflage in water. Hydrogel-based actuators that can imitate the capabilities of leptocephali will enable new applications in diverse fields. However, existing hydrogel actuators, mostly osmotic-driven, are intrinsically low-speed and/or low-force; and their camouflage capabilities have not been explored. Here we show that hydraulic actuations of hydrogels with designed structures and properties can give soft actuators and robots that are high-speed, high-force, and optically and sonically camouflaged in water. The hydrogel actuators and robots can maintain their robustness and functionality over multiple cycles of actuations, owing to the anti-fatigue property of the hydrogel under moderate stresses. We further demonstrate that the agile and transparent hydrogel actuators and robots perform extraordinary functions including swimming, kicking rubber-balls and even catching a live fish in water.

Suggested Citation

  • Hyunwoo Yuk & Shaoting Lin & Chu Ma & Mahdi Takaffoli & Nicolas X. Fang & Xuanhe Zhao, 2017. "Hydraulic hydrogel actuators and robots optically and sonically camouflaged in water," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:8:y:2017:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms14230
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14230
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    Cited by:

    1. Jiefeng Sun & Elisha Lerner & Brandon Tighe & Clint Middlemist & Jianguo Zhao, 2023. "Embedded shape morphing for morphologically adaptive robots," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Dongliang Fan & Xi Yuan & Wenyu Wu & Renjie Zhu & Xin Yang & Yuxuan Liao & Yunteng Ma & Chufan Xiao & Cheng Chen & Changyue Liu & Hongqiang Wang & Peiwu Qin, 2022. "Self-shrinking soft demoulding for complex high-aspect-ratio microchannels," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Xiao-Qiao Wang & Kwok Hoe Chan & Wanheng Lu & Tianpeng Ding & Serene Wen Ling Ng & Yin Cheng & Tongtao Li & Minghui Hong & Benjamin C. K. Tee & Ghim Wei Ho, 2022. "Macromolecule conformational shaping for extreme mechanical programming of polymorphic hydrogel fibers," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    4. Guorui Li & Tuck-Whye Wong & Benjamin Shih & Chunyu Guo & Luwen Wang & Jiaqi Liu & Tao Wang & Xiaobo Liu & Jiayao Yan & Baosheng Wu & Fajun Yu & Yunsai Chen & Yiming Liang & Yaoting Xue & Chengjun Wan, 2023. "Bioinspired soft robots for deep-sea exploration," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    5. Aruã Clayton Da Silva & Junzhi Wang & Ivan Rusev Minev, 2022. "Electro-assisted printing of soft hydrogels via controlled electrochemical reactions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    6. Yin Zhang & Wang Zhang & Pan Gao & Xiaoqing Zhong & Wei Pu, 2022. "Finger-palm synergistic soft gripper for dynamic capture via energy harvesting and dissipation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.

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