Researchers at the University of Nottingham’s Rolls-Royce UTC in Manufacturing and On-Wing Technology have developed an ultra-thin soft robot that can crawl, climb, squeeze through narrow gaps, and even swim. The Thin Soft Robot (TS-robot) has a thickness of just 1.7mm, making it ideal for navigating complex machinery and challenging environments.
The TS-robot’s unique design features a “sandwich structure” driven by dielectric elastomers, allowing it to move easily. It can crawl, climb, and even swim, making it adaptable to various terrains. The robot demonstrates exceptional power and speed, exerting forces 41 times its own weight and moving at speeds 1.16 times its body length per second.
In initial tests, the soft robots successfully inspected advanced hybrid- electric power system generators, including navigating narrow air gaps between rotors and stators. This technology has potential breakthroughs for exploring difficult and complex terrains.
Source: https://interestingengineering.com/innovation/thin-robot-navigates-confined-spaces