Picture a glass of water. Fill it all the way past the top, and what happens? The water forms a rounded surface. This is how most very soft materials behave—imagine a droplet of honey, or the elastic way bread dough pulls into a ball. Scientists are using this idea to create a whole new generation of robots capable of changing shape.
When most people imagine a robot, they envision a set of rigid limbs directed by a central controller. The limbs are limited in how they can move, much like human bones and joints. Researchers are working to overcome these limitations using a soft matrix coated in responsive, active materials.
Take a soft, elastic core made of a material able to endure shape and size changes without tearing. Cover this with a layer of nanobots capable of working in concert. They could alter the overall shape of the device by purposefully physically deforming the core. Rather than a rigid device, like a robotic arm, they'd be more versatile and flexible. The movement and function of the robot would be determined by the responsive outer material and could potentially be changed as needed.
This idea is based more on how biological systems function. Take humans, for instance. While we have a nervous system that serves as a central control mechanism, our tissues are made up of individual parts that work together for a purpose. The muscle fibers of the tongue, for example, are capable of a remarkable range of shapes and functions.
It also stands in contrast to other “shape shifting” robots, like GE's Pipe-worm. This is a device intended to navigate through city pipes. It's designed with a series of oil-filled bladders that can expand or deflate as needed, allowing it to change its circumference as it moves from larger diameter pipes to smaller ones. Right now, it still requires wires and tubes to supply electricity and oil, but a flexible core covered with embedded responsive material could offer a more adaptable, wireless solution. Add some sensors and a machine learning algorithm, and it would be able to self-navigate and map an entire municipal sewer system. It could even theoretically be able to aid in maintenance and repairs, like busting clogs or detecting infiltrations of tree roots.
These new flexible robots wouldn't just be versatile; they'd be ideally suited for delicate tasks. A robotic arm that could mold to whatever it was trying to pick up or manipulate, for example, would make sensitive tasks much easier. This technology has implications for everything from manufacturing to surgery, to drug delivery systems.
It could also affect how robots are deployed. There is a lot of new tech in development to create sensors and devices for environmental cleanup efforts, for example. Part of the challenge here is in getting them where they need to be. Rigid devices take up a considerable amount of space, are delicate, and can't really change shape. Soft-bodied robots could fit efficiently in a cargo space, don't have stiff parts to snap off, and can respond to their environment once they get there. They'd even theoretically be able to climb or swim if need be.
Robots also generally have a limited range of motion. If a robot is knocked over, for example, the designers will have had to create a plan for getting that robot upright again. If it doesn't have a built-in mechanism for doing so, then it requires human help. A flexible robot could conceivably right itself simply by changing shape.
Right now, these robots are still theoretical. Various models have shown how they might be created and used, so the next step is actually developing one. Researchers have already begun applying their ideas to create specific robots and observe how these materials work in concert.
As promising as it is, this technology still has quite a way to go. It could be several years before a working prototype is developed. Nonetheless, it's a fascinating new development that could change everything we know about robotics.
Shape shifting robots could provide a more versatile, adaptable way of automating delicate tasks. These devices could alter their shape based on what's needed and dictate how their core material interacts with its surroundings. While it's still fairly early in its development, it holds immense potential.
