Inspired by the biomechanics of
cheetahs, researchers have developed a new type of soft robot that is capable
of moving more quickly on solid surfaces or in the water than previous
generations of soft robots. The new soft robotics is also capable of grabbing
objects delicately, or with sufficient strength to lift heavy objects. The
fastest soft robots until now could move at speeds of up to 0.8 body lengths
per second on flat, solid surfaces. The new class of soft robots, which are
called ‘Leveraging Elastic instabilities for Amplified Performance’ (LEAP), are
able to reach speeds of up to 2.7 body lengths per second (more than three
times faster) at a low actuation frequency of about 3Hz.
These new robots are also capable
of running up steep inclines, which can be challenging or impossible for soft
robots that exert less force against the ground. These "galloping"
LEAP robots are approximately 7 centimeters long and weigh about 45 grams. The
researchers also demonstrated that the LEAP design could improve swimming
speeds for soft robots. Attaching a fin, rather than feet, a LEAP robot was
able to swim at a speed of 0.78 body lengths per second, as compared to 0.7
body lengths per second for the previous fastest swimming soft robot. The
researchers note that this work serves as a proof of concept, and are
optimistic that they can modify the design to make LEAP robots that are even
faster and more powerful.
More information: