3D-Printed Soft Bionic Inchworm Robot Powered by Magnetic Force.

Area of Science:

• Robotics
• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering

Background:

• Soft Bionic Inchworm Robots (SBIRs) are utilized for pipeline inspection and terrain exploration due to their unique bending and stretching gaits.
• Existing SBIRs often face limitations in rapid production and maneuverability in complex terrains due to intricate manufacturing processes and cable-driven actuation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce a novel 3D-printed Soft Bionic Inchworm Robot (SBIR) that overcomes the limitations of existing designs.
• To develop and validate models for the robot's material composition and bending deformation.
• To demonstrate the robot's locomotion capabilities in unstructured environments.

Main Methods:

• Design and 3D printing of a novel SBIR with a magnetically actuated body.
• Development of hyper-elastic material composition and bending deformation models.
• Validation of models through simulation and experimental testing.
• Magnetic simulation analysis to understand force influencing factors.
• Experimental evaluation of locomotion capabilities.

Main Results:

• The 3D-printed SBIR exhibits rapid production and cable-free actuation.
• The robot demonstrates remarkable flexibility and multimodal movement, including navigating narrow passages and overcoming obstacles.
• The SBIR can climb steps up to 0.8 times its body height and transition between horizontal and vertical planes.
• Model accuracy was confirmed through simulation and experimental validation.

Conclusions:

• The proposed 3D-printed SBIR offers significant advantages in production speed and operational freedom.
• The robot's advanced locomotion capabilities make it highly suitable for navigating unstructured and complex environments.
• This research contributes a promising solution for inspection and exploration tasks in challenging terrains.