A soft robot and a method of manufacturing the same

Abstract

A kind of soft robot and its preparation method, the soft robot can be two-foot structure imitating inchworm walking, or multi-foot structure imitating spider walking, include flexible body and motion driving mechanism;The motion driving mechanism includes external magnetic field environment and the conductor placed in the foot of flexible body, and the conductor presents plane spiral structure;Drive flexible body in magnetic field environment, and the magnetic field direction of conductor and magnetic field environment is not parallel;By energizing the conductor, the conductor has current passing through when in magnetic field environment, and generates ampere force, in turn drive flexible body to produce deformation, imitate inchworm or spider walking;The present application has simple structure, simple manufacturing process;It is convenient to control, by energizing the conductor, the conductor has current passing through when in magnetic field environment, and generates ampere force, in turn drive flexible body to produce deformation, move flexibly, react quickly.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of bionic robot technology, in particular to a soft robot and a preparation method thereof. BACKGROUND

[0002] Generally, rigid robots are mainly made of hard materials with certain strength, structured design, and modular mechanical movement pairs, and are made of rigid connectors and shells, and motors are often used as power devices for driving. Rigid robots have the advantages of high control precision, fast running speed, and large output force, but have the disadvantages of fixed structure, complex structure, insufficient flexibility, heavy movement, large inertia, etc. These shortcomings limit the application of traditional robots in a certain range, making it difficult to accurately control the movement in some special environments, adapt to complex channel space, and pass through narrow space. Therefore, the environmental adaptability of rigid robots is poor. In recent years, in order to solve the shortcomings and deficiencies of rigid robots, the research on bionic technology and intelligent materials has gradually deepened. Researchers take soft-bodied animals in nature as the original model for reference research and propose the concept of soft robots.

[0003] Soft robots are an advanced robot technology widely used in medical, electronic, food manufacturing and other fields. Compared with traditional robots, soft robots are made of flexible materials and have flexible and diverse movement modes and capabilities. The unique feature is that it can change shape at will and has strong adaptability. These characteristics enable soft robots to handle more complex tasks and effectively solve the problems faced by traditional rigid robots, such as fixed structure, high complexity, lack of flexibility, heavy movement, and large inertia. In recent years, more and more researchers have begun to focus on soft robots made of flexible materials, making them one of the important research contents in the field of robots.

[0004] Soft robots are constantly being researched and developed, but they also come with a series of problems. The current production materials still have many problems and cannot fully meet the functional requirements. In the process of research and use of soft materials, the problems of poor toughness, low load capacity, and poor rigidity cannot be ignored. In addition, the existing soft robot drive is not flexible enough.

[0005] Chinese patent (publication number: CN108891562B) discloses a spider-like soft robot driven by shape memory polymer. The robot uses shape memory polymer as an actuator, and carbon nanotubes are embedded in soft silicone as wires to connect the actuator module and the control end. The robot is nested with a soft silicone jacket on the outside. By sequentially energizing the electric heating wires in the shape memory polymer modules in the five antennae of the spider-like robot, the spider-like soft robot can crawl on the water bottom. The movement of the robot depends on the cooling and heating of the electric heating wires, so the movement is slow.

[0006] Foreign patent (publication number: KR102497619B1) discloses a magnetic soft robot coated with an elastic polymer, magnetic particles are dispersed on the surface of a porous carbon nanotube yarn (CNTY), and the method for driving the soft magnetic robot is to apply a pulse rotating magnetic field induced by an electromagnetic field to the soft magnetic robot, the structure and preparation process of the patent are complex. SUMMARY

[0007] In order to overcome the deficiencies in the background art, the present application discloses a soft robot and a preparation method thereof.

[0008] To achieve the above-mentioned purposes, the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0009] A soft robot and a preparation method thereof, the soft robot can be a two-legged structure imitating the walking of a geometer or a multi-legged structure imitating the walking of a spider, comprising a flexible body and a motion driving mechanism; the motion driving mechanism comprises an external magnetic field environment and a conductor placed in the foot of the flexible body, and the conductor has a planar spiral structure; the flexible body is driven to be located in the magnetic field environment, and the magnetic field direction of the conductor and the magnetic field environment is not parallel; by energizing the conductor, the conductor generates an ampere force when current passes through in the magnetic field environment, thereby driving the flexible body to deform and imitate the walking of a geometer or a spider.

[0010] Preferably, the material of the flexible body is glycerol gelatin.

[0011] Preferably, the conductor is a mixture of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires.

[0012] The method for preparing a soft robot comprises the following steps:

[0013] S1, preparing a mold, a planar spiral protruding part consistent with the structure of the conductor is arranged in the mold cavity, and the height of the protruding part is half of the depth of the mold cavity;

[0014] S2, preparing a base material, heating gelatin at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius for 2 hours to dissolve and then injecting glycerol, stirring uniformly, and the weight ratio of gelatin to glycerol is 1:0.6-1.4;

[0015] S3, making a flexible body, injecting the base material into the mold cavity and naturally cooling for 30 minutes, demolding after the base material is cooled and solidified, and forming a flexible body;

[0016] S4, filling the conductor, filling the planar spiral cavity of the flexible body in the order of one layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, one layer of silver nanowires, or one layer of silver nanowires, one layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, then coating the base material prepared in step S2 on the open side of the flexible body corresponding to the planar spiral cavity, closing the open side of the planar spiral cavity, and ensuring that both ends of the conductor have lead wires.

[0017] Preferably, the depth of the mold cavity in step S1 is 2mm.

[0018] Preferably, the weight ratio of the gelatin to glycerol is 1:1.2.

[0019] With the technical solutions as described above, the application has the following beneficial effects:

[0020] The soft robot and the preparation method thereof disclosed by the application have simple structure and simple manufacturing process, are convenient to control, and have flexible movement and quick response. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0021] Fig. 1 Fig. 1 is a structural schematic diagram of a soft robot;

[0022] Fig. 2 Fig. 2 is a structural schematic diagram of a soft robot;

[0023] Fig. 3 Fig. 3 is a structural schematic diagram of a mold for preparing the soft robot;

[0024] Fig. 4 Fig. 4 is a torsional stability relationship curve when the thickness of the flexible body is 2mm;

[0025] Fig. 5 Fig. 5 is a strain curve of the 2mm-thick flexible body when the gelatin and glycerol are in different proportions. EMBODIMENT

[0026] The application can be explained in detail through the following examples, and the purpose of the disclosure is to protect all technical improvements within the scope of the application. In the description of the application, it should be understood that the orientation or position relationship indicated by the terms "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", etc. only corresponds to the drawings of the application, and is used for the convenience of describing the application, but does not indicate or imply that the device or element must have a specific orientation.

[0027] Example 1, combined with the drawings Figs. 1-3A soft robot and a preparation method thereof, the soft robot capable of imitating the two-foot structure of a caterpillar or the multi-foot structure of a spider, comprising a flexible body and a motion driving mechanism; the motion driving mechanism comprising an external magnetic field environment and a conductor placed in the foot of the flexible body, and the conductor being in a planar spiral structure; the flexible body being made of glycerol gelatin, and the conductor being a mixture of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires; the flexible body being driven to be located in the magnetic field environment, and the conductor being non-parallel to the magnetic field direction of the magnetic field environment; by electrifying the conductor, the conductor generates an Ampere force when current passes through the conductor in the magnetic field environment, thereby driving the flexible body to deform and imitate the walking of a caterpillar or a spider;

[0028] A method for preparing a soft robot, comprising the following steps:

[0029] S1, preparing a mold, the mold cavity being provided with a planar spiral protruding part consistent with the structure of the conductor, the height of the protruding part being half of the depth of the mold cavity;

[0030] S2, preparing a base material, heating gelatin at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius for 2 hours to dissolve and then injecting glycerol, stirring uniformly, the weight ratio of gelatin to glycerol being 1:0.6-1.4;

[0031] Gelatin mainly functions to provide flexibility and plasticity; in addition, gelatin can also be processed and changed in shape as needed, so that the morphology and motion of the soft robot are more diversified and flexible; in the soft robot, gelatin can be used to manufacture soft parts of the body, muscles, joints and various connecting components, etc., to realize the complex motion and deformation of the soft robot;

[0032] Glycerol is a colorless and odorless organic compound, and its chemical name is glycerol; it is a natural product and can be extracted from animal and plant fats or petroleum; glycerol can be used as a liquid material in the soft robot, and its main function is to provide softness and compressibility; glycerol has high viscosity and viscosity, and can be used to fill the cavity or liquid chamber of the soft robot, so that it has the ability to deform and deform; after gelatin and glycerol are mixed in a weight ratio of 1:0.6-1.4 and cooled and solidified, good flexibility is obtained;

[0033] S3, making a flexible body, injecting the base material into the mold cavity and naturally cooling for 30 minutes, demolding after the base material is cooled and solidified, to form a flexible body;

[0034] S4, filling the conductor, filling the planar spiral cavity of the flexible body in the order of one layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, one layer of silver nanowires, or one layer of silver nanowires, one layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, then coating the base material prepared in step S2 on the open side of the flexible body corresponding to the planar spiral cavity, closing the open side of the planar spiral cavity, and ensuring that both ends of the conductor have lead wires.

[0035] Multi-walled carbon nanotubes are tubular structures formed by multiple layers of carbon atoms, with excellent mechanical properties and electrical conductivity; they have high strength, light weight, flexibility and electrical conductivity, in soft robots, multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be used as reinforcing materials to improve the structural strength and durability of robots; by embedding multi-walled carbon nanotubes into soft materials, the mechanical strength and stiffness of soft robots can be significantly improved, so that they can withstand greater loads and stresses; in addition, multi-walled carbon nanotubes also have excellent electrical conductivity and can be used to transmit current and signals;

[0036] Silver nanowires are fine, nanowire-like structures composed of nanoscale silver particles; they have high flexibility, electrical conductivity and transparency; in soft robots, silver nanowires are used as a conductive material;

[0037] When a mixture of silver nanowires and multi-walled carbon nanotubes is used as a conductive medium, the electrical conductivity is good, and silver nanowires can maintain stable electrical conductivity under bending and tensile deformation conditions, thereby compensating for the case of multi-walled carbon nanotubes cracking easily and reducing electrical conductivity, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes can compensate for the case of uneven distribution of silver nanowires due to air bubbles;

[0038] Example two, combined with the Figs. 1-5 A soft robot and a preparation method thereof, which is different from example one in that in example one, the depth of the mold cavity in step S1 is 2mm; the weight ratio of gelatin to glycerol is 1:1.2, which is easy to demold, has a smaller elastic modulus, and has good torsional properties and fatigue resistance; the maximum strain of the flexible body is 3.54 when the thickness is 2mm.

[0039] The parts of the present application not described in detail are prior art, and it is obvious to those skilled in the art that the present application is not limited to the details of the above exemplary embodiments, and can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics of the present application; therefore, from any point of view, the embodiments should be regarded as exemplary and non-limiting, and are intended to encompass all changes within the meaning and scope of the equivalent elements.

Claims

1. A soft robot capable of a bipedal configuration that mimics inchworm walking, or a multi-legged configuration that mimics spider walking, characterized by: The soft robot comprises a flexible body and a motion driving mechanism; the motion driving mechanism comprises an external magnetic field environment and a conductor placed in the foot of the flexible body, and the conductor is in a planar spiral structure; the flexible body is driven to be located in the magnetic field environment, and the magnetic field direction of the magnetic field environment is not parallel to the conductor; the conductor is powered on, and the conductor generates an Ampere force when current passes through the conductor in the magnetic field environment, thereby driving the flexible body to deform and imitate the inchworm or spider walking; The preparation method of the soft robot comprises the following steps: S1, preparing a mold, the mold cavity is provided with a planar spiral protruding part consistent with the structure of the conductor, and the height of the protruding part is half of the depth of the mold cavity; S2, preparing a base material, heating gelatin at a temperature of 70 degrees Celsius for 2 hours to dissolve and then injecting glycerol, stirring uniformly, and the weight ratio of gelatin to glycerol is 1:0.6-1.4; S3, making the flexible body, injecting the base material into the mold cavity and naturally cooling for 30 minutes, demolding after the base material is cooled and solidified, and forming the flexible body; S4, filling the conductor, filling the planar spiral cavity of the flexible body in the order of one layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, one layer of silver nanowires, or one layer of silver nanowires, one layer of multi-walled carbon nanotubes, then coating the base material prepared in step S2 on the open side of the flexible body corresponding to the planar spiral cavity, and closing the open side of the planar spiral cavity, and ensuring that both ends of the conductor have lead wires.

2. The soft robotic body of claim 1, wherein: The flexible body material is glycerol gelatin.

3. The soft robotic body of claim 1, wherein: The conductor is a mixture of multi-walled carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires.

4. The soft robotic body of claim 1, wherein: The depth of the mold cavity in step S1 is 2mm.

5. The soft robotic body of claim 1, wherein: The weight ratio of gelatin to glycerol is 1:1.2.

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