Material-like robotic collectives with spatiotemporal control of strength and shape

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Matthew R. Devlin - , University of California at Santa Barbara (Author)
  • Sangwoo Kim - , University of California at Santa Barbara, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) (Author)
  • Otger Campàs - , Clusters of Excellence PoL: Physics of Life, University of California at Santa Barbara, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Center for Systems Biology Dresden (CSBD) (Author)
  • Elliot W. Hawkes - , University of California at Santa Barbara (Author)

Abstract

The vision of robotic materials-cohesive collectives of robotic units that can arrange into virtually any form with any physical properties-has long intrigued both science and fiction. Yet, this vision requires a fundamental physical challenge to be overcome: The collective must be strong, to support loads, yet flow, to take new forms. We achieve this in a material-like robotic collective by modulating the interunit tangential forces to control topological rearrangements of units within a tightly packed structure. This allows local control of rigidity transitions between solid and fluid-like states in the collective and enables spatiotemporal control of shape and strength. We demonstrate structure-forming and healing and show the collective supporting 700 newtons (500 times the weight of a robot) before "melting" under its own weight.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)880-885
Number of pages6
JournalScience
Volume387
Issue number6736
Publication statusPublished - 21 Feb 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 39977492

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas