Scientists from UC San Diego’s Bioinspired Robotics Laboratory have created cost-effective, electronics-free robots that can walk right off a 3D printer using only compressed gas. These innovative machines promise to transform areas like disaster response and space exploration.
Imagine a world where robots can walk, navigate and perform tasks without relying on electronics. That vision has become a reality thanks to a remarkable breakthrough by roboticists at the University of California, San Diego. The innovative robots developed by the university’s Bioinspired Robotics Laboratory can walk straight out of a 3D printer with just the addition of a compressed gas cartridge.
The team published their findings in an advanced online publication of the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems. These pioneering robots are manufactured using a desktop 3D printer, utilizing an off-the-shelf printing material, making them not only robust but affordable, costing only about $20 each.
“This is a completely different way of looking at building machines,” senior author Michael Tolley, a professor in the UC San Diego Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, said in a news release.
These cutting-edge robots present a world of possibilities, especially in environments where electronics might fail. For instance, these robots could be ideal for scientific reconnaissance in areas with high radiation, disaster response, or even space exploration.
In rigorous lab tests, the robots demonstrated their capability to function non-stop for three days when connected to an air or gas source under constant pressure. Furthermore, they proved their versatility by walking untethered outdoors using a compressed gas cartridge, managing to traverse various surfaces like turf and sand. Remarkably, these robots can also operate underwater.
The objective went beyond creating walking robots right out of the printer; it aimed to do so using flexible, soft materials.
“These robots are not manufactured with any of the traditional, rigid components researchers typically use,” Tolley added.
Instead, they are constructed using simple 3D-printing filament.
The primary challenge was to design robots incorporating artificial muscles and a control system, all crafted from a single soft material in one print. Under the leadership of postdoctoral scholar Yichen Zhai, the team adapted a 3D printing method previously used to build an electronics-free gripper. Their efforts culminated in the development of a six-legged robot.
“We have taken a giant leap forward with a robot that walks entirely on its own,” Zhai added.
To facilitate movement, the team devised a pneumatic oscillating circuit that controls the repeated motion of soft actuators, akin to the system powering a steam engine. This circuit synchronizes the movement of the robot’s six legs, alternating between two sets of three legs, allowing for four degrees of freedom — up and down, forward and back — enabling the robot to walk in a straight line.
Looking ahead, the researchers aim to find ways to integrate compressed gas storage within the robots and explore the use of recyclable or biodegradable materials. They are also investigating the addition of manipulators, such as grippers, to enhance the robots’ functionality.
Tolley’s lab collaborated with the BASF Corporation through their California Research Alliance (CARA) to experiment with various soft materials suitable for standard 3D printers. Although some high-end materials tested are not yet commercially available, the team successfully printed the robots using standard, off-the-shelf materials.
The project received partial funding from the National Science Foundation. Prior to this breakthrough publication, the team unveiled the 3D-printed walking robot at the 2022 Gordon Research Conference on Robotics.