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A bioinspired multilegged soft millirobot that functions in both dry and wet conditions

Author

Listed:
  • Haojian Lu

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Mei Zhang

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Yuanyuan Yang

    (City University of Hong Kong)

  • Qiang Huang

    (Beijing Institute of Technology)

  • Toshio Fukuda

    (Beijing Institute of Technology)

  • Zuankai Wang

    (City University of Hong Kong
    Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong)

  • Yajing Shen

    (City University of Hong Kong
    Shenzhen Research Institute of City University of Hong Kong
    City University of Hong Kong)

Abstract

Developing untethered millirobots that can adapt to harsh environments with high locomotion efficiency is of interest for emerging applications in various industrial and biomedical settings. Despite recent success in exploiting soft materials to impart sophisticated functions which are not available in conventional rigid robotics, it remains challenging to achieve superior performances in both wet and dry conditions. Inspired by the flexible, soft, and elastic leg/foot structures of many living organisms, here we report an untethered soft millirobot decorated with multiple tapered soft feet architecture. Such robot design yields superior adaptivity to various harsh environments with ultrafast locomotion speed (>40 limb length/s), ultra-strong carrying capacity (>100 own weight), and excellent obstacle-crossing ability (stand up 90° and across obstacle >10 body height). Our work represents an important advance in the emerging area of bio-inspired robotics and will find a wide spectrum of applications.

Suggested Citation

  • Haojian Lu & Mei Zhang & Yuanyuan Yang & Qiang Huang & Toshio Fukuda & Zuankai Wang & Yajing Shen, 2018. "A bioinspired multilegged soft millirobot that functions in both dry and wet conditions," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-06491-9
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06491-9
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    Cited by:

    1. Nan Li & Yingxin Zhou & Yuqing Li & Chunwei Li & Wentao Xiang & Xueqing Chen & Pan Zhang & Qi Zhang & Jun Su & Bohao Jin & Huize Song & Cai Cheng & Minghui Guo & Lei Wang & Jing Liu, 2024. "Transformable 3D curved high-density liquid metal coils – an integrated unit for general soft actuation, sensing and communication," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    2. Ziheng Chen & Yibin Wang & Hui Chen & Junhui Law & Huayan Pu & Shaorong Xie & Feng Duan & Yu Sun & Na Liu & Jiangfan Yu, 2024. "A magnetic multi-layer soft robot for on-demand targeted adhesion," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    3. Qiji Ze & Shuai Wu & Jize Dai & Sophie Leanza & Gentaro Ikeda & Phillip C. Yang & Gianluca Iaccarino & Ruike Renee Zhao, 2022. "Spinning-enabled wireless amphibious origami millirobot," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    4. Zemin Liu & Meng Li & Xiaoguang Dong & Ziyu Ren & Wenqi Hu & Metin Sitti, 2022. "Creating three-dimensional magnetic functional microdevices via molding-integrated direct laser writing," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    5. Xiong Yang & Rong Tan & Haojian Lu & Toshio Fukuda & Yajing Shen, 2022. "Milli-scale cellular robots that can reconfigure morphologies and behaviors simultaneously," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.
    6. Mengmeng Sun & Bo Hao & Shihao Yang & Xin Wang & Carmel Majidi & Li Zhang, 2022. "Exploiting ferrofluidic wetting for miniature soft machines," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-14, December.
    7. Xingxing Ke & Haochen Yong & Fukang Xu & Han Ding & Zhigang Wu, 2024. "Stenus-inspired, swift, and agile untethered insect-scale soft propulsors," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.
    8. Wenbo Li & Huyue Chen & Zhiran Yi & Fuyi Fang & Xinyu Guo & Zhiyuan Wu & Qiuhua Gao & Lei Shao & Jian Xu & Guang Meng & Wenming Zhang, 2023. "Self-vectoring electromagnetic soft robots with high operational dimensionality," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-13, December.
    9. Minho Seong & Kahyun Sun & Somi Kim & Hyukjoo Kwon & Sang-Woo Lee & Sarath Chandra Veerla & Dong Kwan Kang & Jaeil Kim & Stalin Kondaveeti & Salah M. Tawfik & Hyung Wook Park & Hoon Eui Jeong, 2024. "Multifunctional Magnetic Muscles for Soft Robotics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    10. Rong Tan & Xiong Yang & Haojian Lu & Yajing Shen, 2024. "One-step formation of polymorphous sperm-like microswimmers by vortex turbulence-assisted microfluidics," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    11. Laliphat Manamanchaiyaporn & Tiantian Xu & Xinyu Wu, 2020. "An Optimal Design of an Electromagnetic Actuation System towards a Large Homogeneous Magnetic Field and Accessible Workspace for Magnetic Manipulation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, February.
    12. Sukyoung Won & Hee Eun Lee & Young Shik Cho & Kijun Yang & Jeong Eun Park & Seung Jae Yang & Jeong Jae Wie, 2022. "Multimodal collective swimming of magnetically articulated modular nanocomposite robots," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-11, December.

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