According Tuft’s David Kaplan, co-director of biomimetic technology Soft-bodied Robots project, the project will bring together experts in the fields of biology, genetic engineering and micro / nano fabrication. “Our overall objective is to develop systems and devices for the soft-bodied robots based on biological materials, and the coping mechanisms found in living cells, tissues and whole organisms,” he explains.
Partnering with Barry Trimmer is Kaplan, a professor of biology at Tufts who believes that one of the major factors that distinguish man-made from biological structures is the preponderance of stiff material. “On the other hand, living systems may contain rigid materials such as bones and the cuticle, but their fundamental components are soft and elastic. This distinction between biological and objects made by man is so pervasive that our assessment of artificial structures or life is often made on the basis of materials alone, “says Trimmer.
The Tufts team seeks a real soft-bodied locomoting robot with capacities of work similar a live animal. Their work will focus on four priority areas: systems control soft-bodied robots, and biomimetic materials bionic, robot design and construction, and the development and application of research-based platform technologies.
Trimmer believes his previous work with caterpillars provide useful insights into how to build the first soft-bodied robot. He studied the nervous system and the biology of caterpillars since 1990 in order to better understand how creatures can monitor their movements fluid using a simple brain and how they can move in a flexible manner, without joints. He hopes to be able to adapt its caterpillar on the lookout for this new project, using the expertise of engineers at Tufts.