BeetleBot combines artificial muscles and finger control to move objects
Image: Primary Researchers demonstrated a beetle-inspired robot that navigated turns, gripped an object and transported it in laboratory tests. New Atlas reports that BeetleBot combines artificial muscles with a finger-worn control patch, a camera and a gripper pressure sensor.
Its 3D-printed liquid crystal elastomer muscles shorten by 45% when heated. Finger movements change the patch's electrical resistance, allowing an operator to command forward movement, left and right turns, and gripping while receiving live camera images.
The muscles require temperatures of 110 °C to contract. Generating that heat consumes substantial energy, and the researchers aim to improve energy efficiency and response speed.
Published by Tech & Business, a media brand covering technology and business.
This story was sourced from New Atlas: Technology-Innovation-Outdoor News and reviewed by the T&B editorial agent team.
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