Continuous and programmable photomechanical jumping of polymer monoliths

Jeon, Jisoo; Choi, Jun‐Chan; Hyeok, Lee; Cho, Woongbi; Lee, Kwang-Seok; Kim, Jae Gwang; Lee, Jae Won; Joo, K.; Cho, Maenghyo; Kim, Hak‐Rin; Wie, Jeong Jae

doi:10.1016/j.mattod.2021.04.014

Cited by 69 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…active-type photomotility of monolithic 3D helical soft robots [23] and Jeon et al proposed photomechanical jumping of azo-LCNs film [24] upon irradiation with unpolarized and unpatterned light, a contrast to the programming external stimuli sources. As compared with cylindrical geometry, helical geometry is efficient in achieving rapid photomotility through the introduction of rolling resistance and an increase in rotational inertia per unit mass.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light‐Fueled Climbing of Monolithic Torsional Soft Robots via Molecular Engineering

Kim

Jeon

Sivakumar

et al. 2021

Advanced Intelligent Systems

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Azobenzene‐functionalized liquid crystalline polymer networks (azo‐LCNs) are promising candidates for light‐fueled contactless manipulation of miniaturized soft robots through embedding photoactive molecular switches into alignment‐programmable LCNs. In particular, the 3D helical geometry of azo‐LCNs is reported to achieve rapid photomotility by introducing rolling resistance. However, the maximum height of the obstacle that soft robot can overcome is limited by the helix diameter and the stress–strain responsivity. Herein, the helical diameter per unit length and photogenerated stress through molecular engineering of photoactive molecular switches are maximized. The carbon number of aliphatic spacers in the photoactive molecular switches is varied from two to eight to systematically investigate the structure–property–performance relations by studying the molecular geometry, physical properties of polymers, and photomotility of polymers. Furthermore, a finite‐element analysis simulation is presented to understand the rolling locomotion of helical torsional soft robots. Through molecular engineering, the helix diameter per unit length of 0.2 mg soft robots is maximized, demonstrating high Young's modulus (≈2 GPa) and photogenerated stress (>1 MPa), as well as large velocity per body length, compared with the previously reported soft robots. Finally, the molecularly engineered soft robots successfully climb stairs, which is a key task in robotic systems.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Light‐Fueled Climbing of Monolithic Torsional Soft Robots via Molecular Engineering

Kim

Jeon

Sivakumar

et al. 2021

Advanced Intelligent Systems

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Section: Bistable and Multistable Actuators For Soft Roboticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Very recently, Jeon et al. [ 209 ] utilized the instantaneous energy release (<1 ms) during the bistable switch for jumping of a cylindrical shell strip made of azo‐functionalized LCNs polymers upon light actuation (Figure 13C). They demonstrated on‐demand height and angle programmability during photomechanical jumping by tuning the macroscopic geometry and light intensity profile, as well as continuous and directional jumping over an obstacle through top‐down and bottom‐up two beam irradiations.…”

Section: Bistable and Multistable Actuators For Soft Roboticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It yields 10 times enhanced bending speed and achieves a fast locomotion speed of 1.04 BL/S under low actuation frequency of about 0.5 Hz and low electrical power of 0.22-0.26 W (Figure 12B). [200,202] Spherical shell Soft swimmer [218] Soft jumper [220] Soft gripper [104] Spherical shell (bistable valve) Autonomous gripper [222] Soft oscillator [222,223] Soft rolling robot [223,224] Logic gate [76,223] Autonomous crawler [222] Soft quadruped robot [225] Compliant mechanism (linkage) Soft galloping robot [68] Fast swimmer [68] Balloon-based systems Quadruped robot [240] Fast-responsive soft actuator [120,121] Electroactive polymers Constrained 1D beam Dielectric Flexible gripper [198] 2D curved plate Fast object capture [211] Balloon [71] Soft and adaptive gripper [71,241] Soft actuator with large deformation [242] Stimuli-responsive polymers: Liquid crystal polymers Constrained 1D beam Light Soft snapper [178,162] Soft crawler on ground and/or underwater [180,181] Soft oscillator [184] Curved 2D plate Soft jumper [209] Hydrogels Constrained 1D beam Solvent Soft jumper [193,194] Soft logic gates [194] Based on the pre-curved bistable composite beam with an attached rubber band to remove the doubly clamped boundary condition for energy storage and release, Sun et al [196] used the embedded electrical-driven twisted-and-coiled actuators (TCAs) as artificial muscles to drive...…”

Section: Contact-based and Tethered Actuationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bistable and Multistable Actuators for Soft Robots: Structures, Materials, and Functionalities

et al. 2022

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Snap‐through bistability is often observed in nature (e.g., fast snapping to closure of Venus flytrap) and the life (e.g., bottle caps and hair clippers). Recently, harnessing bistability and multistability in different structures and soft materials has attracted growing interest for high‐performance soft actuators and soft robots. They have demonstrated broad and unique applications in high‐speed locomotion on land and under water, adaptive sensing and fast grasping, shape reconfiguration, electronics‐free controls with a single input, and logic computation. Here, an overview of integrating bistable and multistable structures with soft actuating materials for diverse soft actuators and soft/flexible robots is given. The mechanics‐guided structural design principles for five categories of basic bistable elements from 1D to 3D (i.e., constrained beams, curved plates, dome shells, compliant mechanisms of linkages with flexible hinges and deformable origami, and balloon structures) are first presented, alongside brief discussions of typical soft actuating materials (i.e., fluidic elastomers and stimuli‐responsive materials such as electro‐, photo‐, thermo‐, magnetic‐, and hydro‐responsive polymers). Following that, integrating these soft materials with each category of bistable elements for soft bistable and multistable actuators and their diverse robotic applications are discussed. To conclude, perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in this emerging field are considered.

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“…[24,25] To enhance the movement speed of soft actuators, mechanical engineers have utilized snap-through mechanics based on bistable structures. [26][27][28][29] Such mechanics makes use of the prestressed elastomeric layers [30] or curvature change of stimuli-responsive films, [31] which often leads to accumulation and instantaneous release of elastic energy. In these systems, the energetics is dictated by the energy barrier of the bistable structure, which does not allow for precise tuning of the snapping power or the timing of the snapping event.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Optically Controlled Latching and Launching in Soft Actuators

Guo

Priimägi

Zeng

2021

Adv Funct Materials

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Snapping is an abrupt reaction, in which mechanical instability allows the structure to rapidly switch from one stabilized form to another. Snapping is attained through a sudden release of prestored elastic energy. It is perfected by natural species to enhance their preying, locomotion, and reproduction abilities. Recent developments in responsive materials research has allowed the realization of bioinspired snappers and rapidly moving soft robots triggered by external stimuli. However, it remains a grand challenge to reversibly and accurately control the snapping dynamics in terms of, e.g., onset timing and speed of motion. Here, a facile method to obtain light‐fueled snapping‐like launching with precise control over the elastic energy released and the onset timing is reported. The elastic energy is prestored in a light‐responsive liquid crystal elastomer actuator, and the launching event is dictated by releasing the energy through a photothermally induced crystal‐to‐liquid transition of a liquid‐crystalline adhesive latch. The method provides manual control over the amount of prestored energy, motion speed upon multiple launching events, and enables demonstrations such as jumping and catapult motions in soft robots and concerted motions of multiple launchers. The results provide a practical solution for controlled fast motions in soft small‐scale robotics.

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Continuous and programmable photomechanical jumping of polymer monoliths

Cited by 69 publications

References 52 publications

Light‐Fueled Climbing of Monolithic Torsional Soft Robots via Molecular Engineering

Light‐Fueled Climbing of Monolithic Torsional Soft Robots via Molecular Engineering

Bistable and Multistable Actuators for Soft Robots: Structures, Materials, and Functionalities

Optically Controlled Latching and Launching in Soft Actuators

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