Twisted soft robots self-navigate mazes

The soft robots, developed by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of Pennsylvania, are made of liquid crystal elastometers in the shape of a twisted ribbon resembling translucent rotini. 

Jie Yin, associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at NC State and corresponding author of a paper on the work, said that the robots demonstrate a concept called ‘physical intelligence’, meaning structural design and smart materials are what allow the robots to navigate various situations as opposed to computational intelligence.

The team explained that when the ribbon is placed on a surface that is at least 55°C (131°F), which is hotter than the ambient air, the portion of the ribbon touching the surface contracts, while the portion of the ribbon exposed to the air does not. This induces a rolling motion in the ribbon, and the warmer the surface, the faster it rolls.

“This has been done before with smooth-sided rods, but that shape has a drawback – when it encounters an object, it simply spins in place,” said Yin. “The soft robot we’ve made in a twisted ribbon shape is capable of negotiating these obstacles with no human or computer intervention whatsoever.”