Opportunity
The development of soft robotics has introduced significant advancements in biomedical applications, such as minimally invasive surgery and targeted drug delivery. However, existing soft robots face several critical challenges. Their soft structures often provide weak body support, resulting in low locomotion efficiency, limited carrying capacity, and poor obstacle-crossing ability. These limitations are exacerbated in harsh environments, such as wet or humid conditions, where friction and adhesion further impede movement. Traditional rigid robots, while more robust, lack the adaptability and safety required for delicate biomedical tasks. There is a pressing need for a soft robotic device that combines the flexibility and biocompatibility of soft materials with the locomotion efficiency and load-bearing capacity of rigid systems. This patent addresses these challenges by introducing a degradable, biocompatible soft body robotic device with enhanced movement capabilities.
Technology
The patent describes a soft body robotic device composed of a body made from electrospun polylactic-acid (PLA)-based fibers and a magnetic movement mechanism featuring tapered, paramagnetic legs. The device is fabricated using a novel method involving electrospinning PLA-based material onto magnetically aggregated legs, creating an integrated, untethered structure. The magnetic legs interact with an external magnetic control device to enable two distinct locomotion modes: discontinuous flap-wave (DFW) and continuous inverted-pendulum (CIP). The DFW mode mimics "stick-slip" motion for obstacle navigation, while the CIP mode resembles human walking for efficient forward movement. The legs reduce ground contact area by 5,000-fold, cutting friction by 40 times compared to legless designs, even in wet environments. The robot’s PLA-based construction ensures biodegradability and biocompatibility, making it ideal for in vivo applications.
Advantages
- High Locomotion Efficiency: Achieves rapid movement (e.g., 32 mm in 50 s) even under heavy loads (100× its weight).
- Low Friction: Tapered legs reduce contact area, minimizing friction by 40-fold on wet/dry surfaces.
- Versatile Movement: Supports DFW (obstacle-crossing) and CIP (efficient walking) locomotion modes.
- Biocompatibility & Degradability: PLA-based material is safe for biomedical use and environmentally friendly.
- Remote Control: Untethered operation via external magnetic fields enables precise navigation.
- Scalability: Can be manufactured at milli- or micro-scale for diverse applications.
Applications
- Biomedical: Targeted drug delivery, minimally invasive surgery, and gastrointestinal diagnostics.
- Harsh Environments: Operations in wet, slippery, or rugged terrains (e.g., industrial inspection).
- Heavy Load Transport: Micro-cargo delivery in confined spaces (e.g., lab-on-a-chip systems).
- Research: Model for studying bio-inspired locomotion and soft robotics.
