Bio-Inspired Continuous Limb

Problem

The articulated robotic structures used for the realization of robotic limbs are widely known and consist of rigid mechanical parts connected to each other by joints. The technical problem is the realization of a robotic arm completely soft, without joints or mechanical parts able to replace rigid structures.

Killer Application

The bio-inspired robotic limb can have important application in the service robot industry thanks to its compliance and high handling capacity. In particular, it can find applications in areas such as robotic underwater platforms (AUV), Rovs for underwater manipulation or underwater archaeology, food processing, medical or minimally invasive surgery and in aerospace environments due to its limited weight and size.

Our Technology and Solutions

This robotic limb is inspired by octopus tentacles without joints or rigid mechanical parts, and is capable of passively elongate, shorten, flex, and selectively stiffen. It is also capable to pull and compress, to grasp and manipulate objects, and is able to work in confined spaces, all features allowing the tentacle to adaptively implement and with a Soft and safe structure. Each section is independently manageable of the others, but by virtue of its continuity, any applied force and deformation is distributed throughout the structure. Passive elongation produced by only reducing the diameter of the structure.
Soft structuring, plus mobility implementation plus exploitation of the passive properties of the materials allows a much slower control and intelligent use of the forces within the structure.

TRL