Researchers at North Carolina State University in the United States reported origami robot that combines two usually opposite properties: resistance and thinness. The ingenuity was inspired by the principles of the Japanese art, also known as “origami”, which consists of folding paper to form various shapes and structures.
As detailed in an article published in the journal Connection with naturealthough there are many developments in robotics based on this technique, this example may be the most effective. A flexible ribbon clip is soft enough to turn the pages of books without damaging them or picking grapes. At the same time, he is very strong: can withstand 16,000 times its own weight.
With such characteristics, the scientists of the American Academy foresee that in the future this machine will be used in various industries. In addition, it contributes to the success in the creation of human prostheses. Of course: there are still additional clarifications for these steps, the publication reports. popular science.
Origami robot, powerful but thin clamp
In the video released by the researchers, you can see the clamp’s ability. Attached to a robotic arm, she neatly folds a handkerchief, flips the pages of a book, and picks fruit without breaking it. At the same time, he is really strong. With a weight of 0.4 grams, it is capable of lifting objects weighing almost 6.5 kilograms.. This payload-to-weight ratio is 2.5 times the previous industry record.
With this kind of power — in addition to being made of paper — an origami robot can collect coins or zip up. In this regard, the experts involved noted that “the capabilities of tweezers depend on their design, and not only on the materials used” for their manufacture. For example, one of the main variables is the clamp angle.
“It is difficult to develop a soft grip capable of handling ultra-soft, thin and heavy objects due to the trade-off between strength, precision and smoothness,” says study author Jie Ying. “Our design provides an excellent balance of these characteristics,” added Yin, a professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the aforementioned institution.
Plant leaves and medical prostheses on the horizon of this study
The team behind this invention also raised the possibility of using 100% biodegradable materials to create this type of robots.. In this direction, they appreciated the use of plant leaves, indicating that they would be especially useful in situations where clamps are temporarily needed. For example, to handle hazardous medical waste such as needles.
As noted above, the researchers also suggest that these advances will help in the development of human prostheses. They are already moving in that direction and have attached a clamp to a myoelectric prosthetic arm, which is controlled by the muscular activity of the forearm.
“This clamp cannot replace all the features of existing prosthetic hands. However, it could be used for complement other features”, explained Helen Huang, co-author of the article and professor in the Department of Biomedicine and Engineering. “One of the advantages of origami robots is that the existing motors used in robotic prostheses will not need to be replaced or supplemented,” he concluded.
With great potential for benefits in various fields, scientists at North Carolina State University are considering future collaborations. In addition to possible connections with manufacturers of robotic prostheses, they look forward to working with companies that process food, companies in the pharmaceutical sector, as well as firms focused on electronic products.
Source: Hiper Textual
