Zhao Tonghui, Fan Yangyang, Lv Jiu-An
Key Laboratory of 3D Micro/Nano Fabrication and Characterization of Zhejiang Province, School of Engineering, Westlake University, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.
Institute of Advanced Technology, Westlake Institute for Advanced Study, 18 Shilongshan Road, Hangzhou 310024, Zhejiang Province, China.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2022 May 10. doi: 10.1021/acsami.2c02000.
Biological organisms (e.g., batoid fish, etc.) possess the remarkable ability to morph their soft, sheet-like tissues into wavy morphologies and self-oscillate to make traveling waves, enabling myriad functionalities in propulsion, locomotion, and transportation. In contrast, current manmade soft robotic systems cannot adaptively make wavy morphologies and concurrently achieve wave propagation because the controllable actuation of desired 3D morphologies in entirely soft materials is a formidable challenge due to their continuously deformable bodies that own a large number of actuable degrees of freedom. Here, we report a bioinspired robotic system that not only allows photomorphogenesis of on-demand 3D wavy morphologies but also enables autonomous wave propagation in a monolithic soft artificial muscle (MSAM). This system employs a conceptually different design strategy based on a combination of two principles derived from plant morphogenesis and the undulatory motion of ray fish. The former offers a shaping principle based on differential growth that enables morphing MSAM into target wavy configurations, while the latter inspires a driving principle that induces autonomous propagation of shaped waves by rhythmic motor patterns. This waving system can be used as adaptive "soft engines/motors" that enable directional locomotion, intelligent transportation of cargo, and autonomous propulsion. It even produces programmable, complex artificial peristaltic waves. Our design allows controllable formation of 3D wavy morphologies and autonomous wave behaviors in the soft robotic system that would be useful for broad applications in adaptive, self-regulated mechanical systems for advanced robotics, soft machines, and energy harvest.
生物有机体（如鳐鱼等）具有将其柔软的片状组织变形为波浪形态并自我振荡以产生行波的非凡能力，从而在推进、运动和运输等方面实现多种功能。相比之下，当前的人造软机器人系统无法自适应地形成波浪形态并同时实现波的传播，因为在完全柔软的材料中对所需三维形态进行可控驱动是一项艰巨的挑战，这是由于它们连续可变形的身体具有大量可驱动的自由度。在此，我们报告一种受生物启发的机器人系统，它不仅能够实现按需三维波浪形态的光形态发生，还能在整体式软人工肌肉（MSAM）中实现自主波传播。该系统采用了一种概念上不同的设计策略，它基于源自植物形态发生和鲼鱼波动运动的两个原理的组合。前者提供了一种基于差异生长的成形原理，可使MSAM变形为目标波浪构型，而后者启发了一种驱动原理，通过有节奏的运动模式诱导成形波的自主传播。这种波动系统可作为自适应的“软发动机/电机”，实现定向运动、货物的智能运输和自主推进。它甚至能产生可编程的复杂人工蠕动波。我们的设计允许在软机器人系统中可控地形成三维波浪形态和自主波行为，这将有助于在用于先进机器人技术、软机器和能量收集的自适应、自调节机械系统中得到广泛应用。
