Contents
28 March 2018
Vol 3, Issue 16
Vol 3, Issue 16
Focus
- Pacific Rim and exoskeletons
The giant robots in the Pacific Rim movies could take lessons from advances in legged robots and real-world exoskeletons.
- Robots for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games
Robotic and athletic achievements shared the stage at the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.
- Astromechs for NASA
NASA’s space robots will need the repair capabilities and intelligence of R2D2 and BB-8 but may resemble C3PO and K-2SO.
Research Articles
- Bioinspired living structural color hydrogels
Robotic objects and “heart-on-a-chip” platforms feature bioinspired structural color materials with autonomous regulation.
- A soft, bistable valve for autonomous control of soft actuators
An entirely soft valve uses a snap-through instability to integrate autonomous control functions into soft actuators.
- Exploration of underwater life with an acoustically controlled soft robotic fish
A soft robot fish swims independently in three dimensions and enables studies of aquatic life in natural coral reef habitats.
- An origami-inspired, self-locking robotic arm that can be folded flat
A self-locking foldable mechanism enables a robotic arm to be folded flat and to maintain high stiffness when deployed.
About The Cover
ONLINE COVER Lightweight Length. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can move in areas that are too confined or too dangerous for humans, but many tools are too heavy or bulky to be carried by UAVs. Kim et al. developed an origami-inspired robotic arm that extends out and locks in place when needed. A gripper or other device can be added to the end of the arm, and the arm folds flat for transport or storage. [CREDIT: JAMIE JUNG-RYUL SONG/SNU SOFT ROBOTICS RESEARCH CENTER]
