Necrobotics: Biotic Materials as Ready-to-Use Actuators

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Biomaterials Engineering
• Bio-inspired Engineering

Background:

• Bioinspired and biohybrid robots mimic animal locomotion and incorporate living materials.
• Humans have historically used biotic materials (derived from living organisms) for tools and clothing.
• Existing robotic systems often rely on complex mechanical or electronic actuation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the field of "necrobotics" by repurposing inanimate spiders as robotic actuators.
• To demonstrate a novel gripper design utilizing the natural hydraulic leg extension mechanism of spiders.
• To explore the potential of biotic materials in creating functional robotic components.

Main Methods:

• An inanimate spider was repurposed through a single, facile fabrication step to create a robotic gripper.
• The spider's natural hydraulic leg extension mechanism was leveraged for gripper actuation.
• The necrobotic gripper's performance was evaluated for grasping capabilities and object manipulation.

Main Results:

• The necrobotic gripper naturally remains in a closed state and can be opened by applying pressure.
• The gripper successfully grasped objects with irregular geometries, holding up to 130% of its own mass.
• The gripper demonstrated potential as a handheld device and exhibited natural camouflage in outdoor settings.

Conclusions:

• Necrobotics offers a novel approach to robotic component design using readily available biotic materials.
• The spider-derived necrobotic gripper showcases efficient, low-energy actuation and robust grasping.
• This work opens avenues for utilizing diverse biotic materials from creatures with similar hydraulic mechanisms for future robotic applications.