Material Scrunching Enables Working Channels in Miniaturized Vine-Inspired Robots

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Mechanical Engineering
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Tip-extending or "vine" robots are soft robots that grow by extending from their tip.
• A critical feature for vine robots is a working channel for tools, sensors, or fluids.
• Miniaturizing vine robots (<1 cm diameter) with continuous working channels remains a challenge due to increased internal friction.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the growth models of existing vine robots.
• To identify the challenges hindering the development of miniaturized vine robots with working channels.
• To propose a novel method for enabling continuous working channels in small-diameter vine robots.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of vine robot growth models to understand pressure requirements.
• Development of a concept involving storing scrunched material at the robot's tip.
• Prototyping and experimental validation of the proposed concept.

Main Results:

• The working channel significantly increases the required pressure for vine robot growth at small scales due to internal friction.
• Storing scrunched material at the tip effectively circumvents frictional forces.
• Successful demonstration of miniaturized vine robot prototypes with working channels down to 2.3 mm in diameter.

Conclusions:

• The proposed method enables the creation of miniaturized vine robots with functional working channels.
• This advancement significantly enhances the practicality and potential applications of vine robots.
• The technology holds promise for applications like minimally invasive surgery.