A Millimeter‐Scale Snail Robot Based on a Light‐Powered Liquid Crystal Elastomer Continuous Actuator

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 40; no. 16; pp. e1900279 - n/a
• Main Authors: Rogóż, Mikołaj, Dradrach, Klaudia, Xuan, Chen, Wasylczyk, Piotr
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.08.2019
• Subjects: Actuators; Animal behavior; Animals; bioinspired robotics; Deformation; Elastomers; Elastomers - chemistry; Equipment Design; Gastropoda; Light; liquid crystal elastomers; Liquid crystals; Liquid Crystals - chemistry; Locomotion; Mucus; Nematodes; Particle Size; Phase transitions; photoactuation; Robots; Secretion; Smart materials; Snails; soft robots; Terrestrial environments; liquid crystal elastomers; soft robots; photoactuation; bioinspired robotics
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.201900279

Crawling by means of the traveling deformation of a soft body is a widespread mode of locomotion in nature—animals across scales, from microscopic nematodes to earthworms to gastropods, use it to move around challenging terrestrial environments. Snails, in particular, use mucus—a slippery, aqueous secretion—to enhance the interaction between their ventral foot and the contact surface. In this study, a millimeter‐scale soft crawling robot is demonstrated that uses a similar mechanism to move efficiently in a variety of configurations: on horizontal, vertical, as well as upside‐down surfaces; on smooth and rough surfaces; and through obstacles comparable in size to its dimensions. The traveling deformation of the robot soft body is generated via a local light‐induced phase transition in a liquid crystal elastomer and resembles the pedal waves of terrestrial gastropods. This work offers a new approach to micro‐engineering with smart materials as well as a tool to better understand this mode of locomotion in nature. A millimeter‐scale crawling robot is demonstrated that uses a light‐induced traveling deformation of a soft liquid crystal elastomer body and artificial mucus for adhesive locomotion, similar to that of terrestrial gastropods. This work offers a new approach to soft robotics and micro‐engineering with smart materials as well as a tool to better understand this mode of locomotion in nature.