Phase Transitions for the Generation and Control of Complex Motion in Soft Robots

forthcoming

We are in the middle of a revolution in which intelligent systems transform our lives and work. Soft robots have shown great promise in important applications such as medicine, search-and-rescue, and object manipulation. However, we do not see them in the real world. One reason is the struggle to execute complex motions with soft robots due to the complexity of controlling many soft actuators in a single system. PHASEBOT proposes the continuous propagation of mechanical first-order phase transitions as a ground-breaking new method for generating complex motion patterns in easy-to-control soft robots. PHASEBOT will devise a framework for embodying motion patterns in soft actuators with phase transitions using fluid-driven soft actuators as a model system (Objective 1). Functional soft materials allow for active control of the behavior of phase transitions to generate and control motion patterns. We will develop strategies to generate a large variety of motions using electrostatic forces as an example mechanism (Objective 2). We will implement the developed concepts in advanced soft robotic systems (Objective 3) to demonstrate the benefits of motion control with phase transitions. Advantages include the generation of complex, versatile motion in simple soft robots, high-performance untethered soft robotic devices, and control concepts that drastically simplify the control of complex soft robots. This ambitious work will involve theoretical analysis and experiments. A structured research program that progresses from model systems to advanced robots ensures its feasibility. PHASEBOT offers a new paradigm for motion control, which can be applied to many soft robotic systems. Thus, PHASEBOT will serve as a foundation for future research and the design of a new generation of high-performance soft robots.