Robots are capable of performing a large number of tasks. However, for many of these tasks, buying a robot is not an option given the relatively high price tag. A development from Yale University may provide a solution. Researchers at the university have developed a robot skin that can be used to convert everyday flexible objects into robots, which can then perform simple tasks.
For some time, we have seen robots becoming more flexible and usable for more and more purposes. Collaborative robots, for instance, are relatively easy to learn new tasks and can therefore also be used for short-run production. Collaborative robots are thus much more flexible than traditional industrial robots, which have to be programmed by programmers.
OmniSkin
However, a new technology from Yale University makes robots even more flexible. Researchers at the university have developed 'robot skins' that allow users to develop their own robotic systems. These skins - called OmniSkins - are made of an elastic material and include actuators and sensors. The skins can be placed on any flexible object, such as a foam tube or a stuffed toy. This object thereby transforms into a robot.
This robot can perform a variety of relatively simple tasks, depending on the properties of the object and how the OmniSkins are applied. For example, a robot skin can be developed to make an object move forward or a skin to make an object grasp other objects. It is also possible to combine several OmniSkins to enable more complex movements. Think of multiple robot skins, each making a different movement to propel an object. Another example is a skin that allows an object to grasp other objects.
Many applications
Despite the fact that the robotic skins were not developed with a specific application in mind iz, researchers foresee a variety of applications. The university has developed several robotic skin prototypes to demonstrate applications. These include foam cylinders that propel themselves like a worm, a device with a gripper that can move objects and a shirt-like wearable device that helps users improve their posture.
The strength of OmniSkins is the flexibility they offer, argues Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Rebecca Kramer-Bottiglio of Yale University. For instance, multiple skins can be combined and the operation of skins can be adjusted by programming components such as sensors differently. This allows users to develop a multifunctional robot on the spot to automate operations.
Designed in collaboration with NASA
The technology was designed in collaboration with NASA, which provides space applications. For example, transporting equipment to space stations is very costly, so using different robots for a variety of tasks is not an option. Using the robot skin, astronauts can build a robot on the spot to perform a particular task. Once this task is completed, the robot can be taken apart and the robot skin used for another robot. The OmniSkins can be unfolded and therefore transported flat, taking up little space and relatively cheaply.
"One of the main things I considered is the importance of multi-functionality, especially for the exploration mission far out in space where the environment is unpredictable," says Kramer-Bottiglio. "The question is: how do you prepare for unknown uncertainties?" By building their own robots, for example, astronauts can more easily automate tasks they need to perform unexpectedly.
3D printing components
The robot skin is being developed even further. For instance, Kramer-Bottiglio plans to further streamline the prototypes that have been developed and is exploring possibilities to 3D-print components of the robot skin. This could also be relevant for use in space. For example, astronauts could print needed components to build new robot skins on the spot, further increasing the flexibility of the technology.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: Yale University
Source photo: Pixabay / qimono
