Receptogenesis in a Vascularized Robotic Embodiment

Area of Science:

• Robotics and Materials Science
• Biomimetic Engineering

Background:

• Robotic systems traditionally rely on modular components for adaptation.
• Continuous physical adaptation through in-body hardware synthesis remains a significant challenge.
• Biological systems exhibit remarkable adaptability through mass redistribution and functional restructuring.

Purpose of the Study:

• To demonstrate a proof-of-concept for ex novo hardware generation in robotic systems.
• To develop a method for on-demand sensor construction within a robotic body.
• To explore fluidics-based material synthesis for enhanced robotic adaptability.

Main Methods:

• A vascularized robotic composite was designed for programmable material synthesis.
• Fluidic transport of precursors was coordinated with localized UV irradiation for in situ photopolymerization.
• Receptogenesis, the on-demand construction of sensors, was achieved via UV-sensitive polypyrrole in PETG.

Main Results:

• Successful in situ photopolymerization reconstructed the robotic vasculature from the inside out.
• A novel sensing modality was established, validated by a decrease in electrical impedance.
• The synthesized sensor enabled real-time control of a robotic demonstrator's wing flapping.

Conclusions:

• This work presents a materials basis for ex novo hardware generation in vascularized composites.
• The fluidics-driven approach offers a new paradigm for robotic physical adaptation.
• This represents a step towards situated robots capable of adapting to environmental cues.