Soft, Squishy Robotic Worm Looks Uncannily Like the Real Thing - cordersolloond

Don't equal creepy-crawlies? You belik won't the likes of the Meshworm, then. The result of a collaborative effort between researchers at MIT, John Harvard University and Seoul national University, MeshWorm is a soft, autonomous golem that doesn't really mind being stepped on (or familiar repeatedly with a hammer).

The Meshworm's semisynthetic biology is a rather interesting one. Largely comprised from wires made out of nickel and Ti, the Meshworm moves the same way an earthworm does–by alternatively squeezing and stretching the muscles along the length of its body, a mechanism known as peristalsis.

And then, why a robotic Earthworm Jim? Sangbae Kim, the Esther and Harold E. Edgerton Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering at MIT, explained that "such a soft automaton may be useful for navigating rough terrain or squeeze done tight spaces."

One of the biggest challenges in soft robotics has been the necessitate to purpose soft actuators, or motors, to power these robots. While closed air, cautiously pumped through a robot to move IT, has been offered as a solution, Kim noted an constitutional flaw: Gas robots command big pumps. The Meshworm was engineered as an alternative.

The researchers made sure to thoroughly test their little creation. The robot was plainly trodden on and subjected to multiple blows from a hammer. Surprisingly, it survived.

Kellar Autumn, a professor of biology at Lewis and Joe Clark College, noted that robots like the Meshworm may one day give rise incoming-generation endoscopes, implants and prosthetics.

[MIT]

Cassandra Khaw is an entrance-level audiophile, a street dancer, a person who writes about video games for a living, and someone who spends overmuch time connected Twitter.

Like this? You power likewise enjoy…

NASA's Project Morpheus Crash Lands During Test, Creates Implausible Explosions
3D Printer Makes Complex Sand Castles, Wins All the Baroness Dudevant Castling Competitions
Powder Power! Pwdr Is an ASCII text file 3D Powder Printer That You Can Build

Gravel more GeekTech: Twitter – Facebook – RSS | Bakshish us turned

Source: https://www.pcworld.com/article/460588/soft_squishy_robotic_worm_looks_uncannily_like_the_real_thing.html

Posted by: cordersolloond.blogspot.com