Autonomous Self-Turning and Obstacle-Surmounting Soft Robots Enabled by Liquid Crystal Elastomer Material...

This study reports the development of a chiral helical soft robot inspired by natural climbing tendrils, fabricated through a low-cost and parameter-tunable approach. Owing to the deep coupling between the intrinsic structure of the material and the thermal field, the system converts ambient thermal energy into kinetic energy without the need for external power sources, thereby exhibiting a unique thermally induced untwisting behavior that generates pronounced initial kinetic energy resulting in a maximum rolling velocity within the upper range of those reported for autonomous robots. The helical LCE strip demonstrates path selection behaviors governed by deformation and energy feedback, enabling remarkable adaptability, self-turning, obstacle avoidance, and obstacle-crossing capabilities in complex environments. Owing to the specific design, an asymmetrical shape can be induced post-fabrication, enabling adaptive control of the self-motion trajectory. The underlying mechanism arises from thermally driven untwisting and energy redistribution; whereby elastic potential energy is stored within the helical architecture during rolling or upon obstacle contact and subsequently released under specific conditions. This work highlights the potential of soft robots for autonomous locomotion, environmental interaction, and the realization of physical intelligence, while offering new strategies for the design of low-power and multifunctional soft robotic systems.