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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 7, 2026

Four-Dimensional Printing of Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel-Based Soft Robots

Four-Dimensional Printing of Stimuli-Responsive Hydrogel-Based Soft Robots

Published on: January 13, 2023

SOFT ROBOTICS. A 3D-printed, functionally graded soft robot powered by combustion.

Nicholas W Bartlett¹, Michael T Tolley², Johannes T B Overvelde³

¹School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)

|July 11, 2015

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers developed a novel combustion-powered robot using 3D printing. This soft robot features a unique stiffness gradient, enabling untethered jumping and improved human-robot interaction.

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Last Updated: Apr 7, 2026

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Area of Science:

Robotics and Mechanical Engineering
Materials Science
Biologically Inspired Design

Background:

Traditional rigid robots face limitations in adaptability, robustness, and safety for human interaction.
Designing and manufacturing soft robots presents challenges in fabrication and integrating soft and rigid components.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel soft robot with a stiffness gradient for improved performance and component interfacing.
To demonstrate a combustion-powered, untethered jumping soft robot.

Main Methods:

Utilized multimaterial three-dimensional (3D) printing to create a robot body with a stiffness gradient.
Integrated rigid driving components (controller, battery) with a soft exterior.
Powered the robot using the combustion of butane and oxygen.

Main Results:

Successfully manufactured a robot with a stiffness gradient spanning three orders of magnitude in modulus.
Achieved reliable interfacing between rigid components and the soft robot body.
Demonstrated untethered jumping capabilities powered by combustion.

Conclusions:

Multimaterial 3D printing enables the creation of complex stiffness gradients in soft robots.
The developed stiffness gradient enhances robot performance and component integration.
Combustion-powered soft robots offer a promising platform for untethered locomotion and interaction.