Using Explosions to Power a Soft Robot

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Author
Shepherd, Robert F.
Stokes, Adam A.
Freake, Jacob
Snyder, Phillip W.
Mazzeo, Aaron D.
Cademartiri, Ludovico
Morin, Stephen A.
Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1002/ange.201209540Metadata
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Shepherd, Robert F., Adam A. Stokes, Jacob Freake, Jabulani Barber, Phillip W. Snyder, Aaron D. Mazzeo, Ludovico Cademartiri, Stephen A. Morin, and George M. Whitesides. 2013. “Using Explosions to Power a Soft Robot.” Angewandte Chemie 125 (10) (March 4): 2964–2968.Abstract
This manuscript describes the use of explosions to power a soft robot—one composed solely of organic elastomers (e.g., silicones). The robot has three pneumatic actuators (pneu-nets) in a tripedal configuration. Explosion of a stoichiometric mixture of methane and oxygen within the microchannels making up the actuators produced hot gas that rapidly inflated the pneu-nets, and caused the robot to launch itself vertically from a flat surface (e.g., to jump). A soft flap embedded in the pneu-net acted as the valve of a passive exhaust system, and allowed multiple sequential actuations. The flame and temperature increase from the explosions are short-lived, and do not noticeably damage the robots over dozens of actuation cycles.Terms of Use
This article is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Open Access Policy Articles, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of-use#OAPCitable link to this page
http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:12388526
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