scholarly journals Dragonfly Inspired Smart Soft Robot

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vardhman Kumar ◽  
Ung Hyun Ko ◽  
Yilong Zhou ◽  
Jiaul Hoque ◽  
Gaurav Arya ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Complex Environments ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Environmental Perturbations ◽  
Integration Strategies ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
Harsh Conditions

Recent advancements in soft robotics have led to the development of compliant robots that can exhibit complex motions driven by living cells(1, 2), chemical reactions(3), or electronics(4). Further innovations are however needed to create the next generation of soft robots that can carry out advanced functions beyond locomotion. Here we describe DraBot—a dragonfly-inspired, entirely soft, multifunctional robot that combines long-term locomotion over water surface with sensing, responding, and adaptation capabilities. By integrating soft actuators, stimuli-responsive materials, and microarchitectural features, we created a circuitry of pneumatic and microfluidic logic that enabled the robot to undergo user- and environment-controlled (pH) locomotion, including navigating hazardous (acidic) conditions. DraBot was also engineered to sense additional environmental perturbations (temperature) and detect and clean up chemicals (oil). The design, fabrication, and integration strategies demonstrated here pave a way for developing futuristic soft robots that can acclimatize and adapt to harsh conditions while carrying out complex tasks such as exploration, environmental remediation, and health care in complex environments.

scholarly journals Bioinspired underwater locomotion of light-driven liquid crystal gels

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (10) ◽  
pp. 5125-5133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamed Shahsavan ◽  
Amirreza Aghakhani ◽  
Hao Zeng ◽  
Yubing Guo ◽  
Zoey S. Davidson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Crystal ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Light Illumination ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Aquatic Locomotion ◽  
Sea Slugs ◽  
Application Potential ◽  
Molecular Anisotropy

Soft-bodied aquatic invertebrates, such as sea slugs and snails, are capable of diverse locomotion modes under water. Recapitulation of such multimodal aquatic locomotion in small-scale soft robots is challenging, due to difficulties in precise spatiotemporal control of deformations and inefficient underwater actuation of existing stimuli-responsive materials. Solving this challenge and devising efficient untethered manipulation of soft stimuli-responsive materials in the aquatic environment would significantly broaden their application potential in biomedical devices. We mimic locomotion modes common to sea invertebrates using monolithic liquid crystal gels (LCGs) with inherent light responsiveness and molecular anisotropy. We elicit diverse underwater locomotion modes, such as crawling, walking, jumping, and swimming, by local deformations induced by selective spatiotemporal light illumination. Our results underpin the pivotal role of the physicomechanical properties of LCGs in the realization of diverse modes of light-driven robotic underwater locomotion. We envisage that our results will introduce a toolbox for designing efficient untethered soft robots for fluidic environments.

scholarly journals Programmable Stimuli-Responsive Actuators for Complex Motions in Soft Robotics: Concept, Design and Challenges

Actuators ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
Gilles Decroly ◽  
Antoniya Toncheva ◽  
Loïc Blanc ◽  
Jean-Marie Raquez ◽  
Thomas Lessinnes ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Material Science ◽  
Degrees Of Freedom ◽  
Soft Materials ◽  
Soft Robotics ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Stimulus Responsive ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Soft Actuators

During the last years, great progress was made in material science in terms of concept, design and fabrication of new composite materials with conferred properties and desired functionalities. The scientific community paid particular interest to active soft materials, such as soft actuators, for their potential as transducers responding to various stimuli aiming to produce mechanical work. Inspired by this, materials engineers today are developing multidisciplinary approaches to produce new active matters, focusing on the kinematics allowed by the material itself more than on the possibilities offered by its design. Traditionally, more complex motions beyond pure elongation and bending are addressed by the robotics community. The present review targets encompassing and rationalizing a framework which will help a wider scientific audience to understand, sort and design future soft actuators and methods enabling complex motions. Special attention is devoted to recent progress in developing innovative stimulus-responsive materials and approaches for complex motion programming for soft robotics. In this context, a challenging overview of the new materials as well as their classification and comparison (performances and characteristics) are proposed. In addition, the great potential of soft transducers are outlined in terms of kinematic capabilities, illustrated by the related application. Guidelines are provided to design actuators and to integrate asymmetry enabling motions along any of the six basic degrees of freedom (translations and rotations), and strategies towards the programming of more complex motions are discussed. As a final note, a series of manufacturing methods are described and compared, from molding to 3D and 4D printing. The review ends with a Perspectives section, from material science and microrobotic points of view, on the soft materials’ future and close future challenges to be overcome.

scholarly journals An artificial aquatic polyp that wirelessly attracts, grasps, and releases objects

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (30) ◽  
pp. 17571-17577 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Pilz da Cunha ◽  
Harkamaljot S. Kandail ◽  
Jaap M. J. den Toonder ◽  
Albert P. H. J. Schenning
Keyword(s):  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Coordinated Motion ◽  
Low Light ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
On Demand ◽  
Light Intensities ◽  
Aqueous Environments ◽  
Coral Polyp ◽  
Scientific Attention

The development of light-responsive materials has captured scientific attention and advanced the development of wirelessly driven terrestrial soft robots. Marine organisms trigger inspiration to expand the paradigm of untethered soft robotics into aqueous environments. However, this expansion toward aquatic soft robots is hampered by the slow response of most light-driven polymers to low light intensities and by the lack of controlled multishape deformations. Herein, we present a surface-anchored artificial aquatic coral polyp composed of a magnetically driven stem and a light-driven gripper. Through magnetically driven motion, the polyp induces stirring and attracts suspended targets. The light-responsive gripper is sensitive to low light intensities and has programmable states and rapid and highly controlled actuation, allowing the polyp to capture or release targets on demand. The artificial polyp demonstrates that assemblies of stimuli-responsive materials in water utilizing coordinated motion can perform tasks not possible for single-component devices.

scholarly journals Light-Responsive Soft Actuators: Mechanism, Materials, Fabrication, and Applications

Actuators ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 298
Author(s):  
Yaoli Huang ◽  
Qinghua Yu ◽  
Chuanli Su ◽  
Jinhua Jiang ◽  
Nanliang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Computer Interaction ◽  
Light Response ◽  
Bionic Design ◽  
Soft Robots ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Surrounding Environment ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Soft Actuators ◽  
Computer Interaction

Soft robots are those that can move like living organisms and adapt to the surrounding environment. Compared with traditional rigid robots, the advantages of soft robots, in terms of material flexibility, human–computer interaction, and biological adaptability, have received extensive attention. Flexible actuators based on light response are one of the most promising ways to promote the field of cordless soft robots, and they have attracted the attention of scientists in bionic design, actuation implementation, and application. First, the three working principles and the commonly used light-responsive materials for light-responsive actuators are introduced. Then, the characteristics of light-responsive soft actuators are sequentially presented, emphasizing the structure strategy, actuation performance, and emerging applications. Finally, this review is concluded with a perspective on the existing challenges and future opportunities in this nascent research frontier.

Smart Polymers and their Applications: A Review

2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (03) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gore S. A. ◽  
Gholve S. B. ◽  
Savalsure S. M. ◽  
Ghodake K. B. ◽  
Bhusnure O. G. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Oil Recovery ◽  
Water Soluble ◽  
Solution Temperature ◽  
Smart Polymers ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Water Soluble Polymers ◽  
Commercial Applications ◽  
Stimuli Sensitive ◽  
External Stimuli

Smart polymers are materials that respond to small external stimuli. These are also referred as stimuli responsive materials or intelligent materials. Smart polymers that can exhibit stimuli-sensitive properties are becoming important in many commercial applications. These polymers can change shape, strength and pore size based on external factors such as temperature, pH and stress. The stimuli include salt, UV irradiation, temperature, pH, magnetic or electric field, ionic factors etc. Smart polymers are very promising applicants in drug delivery, tissue engineering, cell culture, gene carriers, textile engineering, oil recovery, radioactive wastage and protein purification. The study is focused on the entire features of smart polymers and their most recent and relevant applications. Water soluble polymers with tunable lower critical solution temperature (LCST) are of increasing interest for biological applications such as cell patterning, smart drug release, DNA sequencing etc.

Sensitive Mechanocontrolled Luminescence in Cross-Linked Polymer Films

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ayumu Karimata ◽  
Pradnya Patil ◽  
Eugene Khaskin ◽  
Sébastien Lapointe ◽  
robert fayzullin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mechanical Stress ◽  
Polymer Films ◽  
Soft Matter ◽  
Small Strain ◽  
Visual Methods ◽  
Photoluminescence Intensity ◽  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Responsive Materials ◽  
Highly Sensitive ◽  
Mechanical Stretching

Direct translation of mechanical force into changes in chemical behavior on a molecular level has important implication not only for the fundamental understanding of mechanochemical processes, but also for the development of new stimuli-responsive materials. In particular, detection of mechanical stress in polymers via non-destructive methods is important in order to prevent material failure and to study the mechanical properties of soft matter. Herein, we report that highly sensitive changes in photoluminescence intensity can be observed in response to the mechanical stretching of cross-linked polymer films when using stable, (pyridinophane)Cu-based dynamic mechanophores. Upon stretching, the luminescence intensity increases in a fast and reversible manner even at small strain (< 50%) and applied stress (< 0.1 MPa) values. Such sensitivity is unprecedented when compared to previously reported systems based on organic mechanophores. The system also allows for the detection of weak mechanical stress by spectroscopic measurements or by direct visual methods.<br>

A Review on Recent Trends in Nanomaterials and Nanocomposites for Environmental Applications

2020 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kannappan Panchamoorthy Gopinath ◽  
Malolan Rajagopal ◽  
Abhishek Krishnan ◽  
Shweta Kolathur Sreerama
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Pollution ◽  
Environmental Remediation ◽  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Potential Applications ◽  
Important Challenge ◽  
Term Basis ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Recent Trends ◽  
Water And Soil Pollution

Background: Depletion and contamination of environmental resources such as water, air and soil caused by human activities is an increasingly important challenge faced around the world. The consequences of environmental pollution are felt acutely by all living beings, both on a short and long-term basis, thereby making methods of remediation of environmental pollution an urgent requirement. Objectives: The objective of this review is to dissect the complications caused by environmental degradation, highlight advancements in the field of nanotechnology and to scrutinize its applications in environmental remediation. Furthermore, the review aims to concisely explain the merits and drawbacks of nanotechnology compared to existing methods. Conclusion: The current and potential applications of nanomaterials and nanocomposites in the prevention, control and reduction of air, water and soil pollution and the mechanisms involved have been elucidated, as have their various merits and demerits. The applications of nanotechnology in the fields of carbon capture and agriculture have also received attention in this review.

scholarly journals Using Lock-In Thermography to Investigate Stimuli-Responsive Nanoparticles in Complex Environments

2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 3-10
Author(s):  
Mathias Bonmarin ◽  
Lukas Steinmetz ◽  
Fabrizio Spano ◽  
Christoph Geers
Keyword(s):  
Stimuli Responsive ◽  
Complex Environments ◽  
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