Leafbot soft robot shows potential for disaster relief

Leafbot has been developed by a team at the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (JAIST). Led by Professor Van Anh Ho and involving doctoral students Linh Viet Nguyen and Khoi Thanh Nguyen, the researchers explored Leafbot’s adaptability across various uneven surfaces and terrains. Their findings have been published in the IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

“Soft robots are increasingly recognised for their ability to navigate complex and unstructured environments, making them valuable for applications such as inspection and exploration. By leveraging a vibration-driven motion, we have designed a robot capable of overcoming such complex obstacles with minimal control mechanisms,” Prof. Ho said in a statement.

According to JAIST, conventional vibration-based robots often require complex control algorithms to handle irregular terrains. In contrast, Leafbot uses its compliant structure of soft materials with a simple yet effective locomotion strategy to traverse slopes and navigate obstacles.

The team designed the Leafbot's structure using a soft monolithic silicone rubber with curved projections at the base to replicate limbs for crawling. The body of the soft robot was then attached to a vibrating motor to enable a vibration mechanism for locomotion.