Slim 1.7mm sandwich robot crawls, climbs, squeezes, swims through narrow gaps

Robotic experts are working on the development of futuristic robots that will be so thin they can squeeze into the smallest spaces, going places humans can’t even imagine.

One such prototype has been developed and demonstrated by researchers at Rolls-Royce University Technology Centre (UTC) in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology at the University of Nottingham.

They have developed an ultra-thin soft robot called Thin Soft Robot (TS-Robot) — with a thin thickness of just 1.7mm. These innovative machines are designed to conquer confined spaces and challenging environments. Interestingly, the robot will be able to navigate through tiny millimetre-wide gaps in complex machinery.

Sandwich structure

One of the TS-Robot’s primary applications is in industrial inspections. Its unique design allows it to squeeze through narrow gaps and climb over obstacles, making it ideal for tasks like inspecting turbines and generators.

The TS-Robot’s secret lies in its flexible body and unique multimodal locomotion capabilities. It can crawl, climb, and even swim, making it adaptable to a wide range of environments for various terrains.

The robot ‘s unique design features a “sandwich structure” that is driven by dielectric elastomers, allowing it to move easily.

“Our TS-Robots are designed to tackle the scientific challenges of multimodal locomotion in soft robotics, particularly when encountering obstacles such as narrow gaps, trenches, walls, and liquids along their navigation paths, said Dr Xin Dong, the project’s principal investigator. Dong conceived this thin robot idea about three years ago.

“Unlike conventional robots, which face significant limitations in these environments, our technology offers a potential breakthrough for exploring difficult and complex terrains,” Dong added.

Robot can navigate narrow gaps

Interestingly, this soft robot demonstrates exceptional power and speed, exerting forces 41 times their own weight and moving at speeds 1.16 times their body length per second.

As per the press release, the robots can collaborate with multiple TS robots or drones, enhancing their performance in tasks such as inspecting challenging areas or delivering items.

The TS-Robot prototype has shown potential in real-world tasks. During initial tests, the soft robots successfully inspected advanced hybrid-electric power system generators.

In this test, this thin robot was deployed to pass through the narrow air gap between the rotor and stator of a generator. Before this, traditional tools and robots struggled to accomplish this task.

“The next generation of clean power systems presents new challenges for their inspection and maintenance. We are delighted to see these thin soft robots bringing the possibility to address these challenges and contribute to the future of net-zero,” said Dragos Axinte, Director at the Rolls-Royce UTC in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology, in the press release.

After the initial testing, the team aims to further refine the robots’ design. The goal is to make robots help humans in dangerous and inaccessible tasks.

By improving the robot’s design, the team aims to equip it for more demanding aerospace, energy maintenance, and nuclear decommissioning tasks.

The study has been published in the journal Nature Communications.