Advanced Intelligent Systems · 2020 · 10 citations · 0 references
EngineeringMechanical EngineeringRobotics EngineeringActuatorsRoboticsSoft RoboticsBioinspired Soft RobotsElectrostatic ActuatorsFabrication Of Soft RobotsSoft ActuatorsSoft LocomotionSoft Robot DesignActuation ForceCrawling Soft RobotsFlexibilityOrigami-inspired Soft RoboticsRobotic Locomotion MechanismsSoft Robot MorphologySoft Robot StructuresSoft Robotic Locomotion
Flexible RobotsIn article number 1900162, Jinhua Zhang, John X. J. Zhang, Zi Chen, and co-workers have built a novel robot “bug” using an electrostatic actuator with a buckled thin-film structure, giving it great flexibility and resilience to move in narrow spaces and withstand crushes. The robot is highly tunable and maneuverable, so that it can crawl on rough terrains and overcome hurdles thanks to versatile geometric designs.