Film-Balloon Soft Robots unfold their wings
The FiBa modules serve as essential building blocks for creating soft robots that can mimic a wide range of natural movements
Researchers from the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), the National University of Singapore (NUS) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) have made groundbreaking advancements in the field of soft robotics by developing film-balloon (FiBa) soft robots. These innovative robots, designed by a team led by Dr Terry Ching and corresponding author Professor Michinao Hashimoto, introduce a novel fabrication approach that enables lightweight, untethered operation with advanced biomimetic locomotion capabilities.
The core innovation for these robots involves the development of FiBa modules, which combine transversely curved polymer thin films with three-dimensional printed pneumatic balloons. This combination significantly reduces the weight of soft actuators, enabling untethered operations. The FiBa modules serve as essential building blocks for creating soft robots that can mimic a wide range of natural movements. The soft robots assembled using the FiBa modules can replicate various natural movements, including turtle-inspired crawling, inchworm-inspired climbing, bat-inspired perching, and ladybug-inspired flying. These modes of locomotion demonstrate the versatility and potential of the FiBa modules in numerous applications, showcasing their ability to operate in diverse and challenging environments … read further
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