NUS researchers create a new metallic material for hardy origami robots

One in-thing within the world of robotics over the last couple of years is something called origami robots — shape-shifting machines that can fold itself from flat panels into walking, climbing and swimming bots. 

Aside from looking super cool, these flexible droids hold potential in life-saving applications, like search-and-rescue operations in disaster-struck environments and conducting delicate operations within the human body. Being lightweight in nature, these accordion-like bots can be pretty fragile. But researchers from the National University of Singapore might have came up with a solution for that pickle. 

In a press release published today (Nov 25), NUS announced that its researchers have created a new metallic material that’s specifically made for flexible soft robots — a durable, fire-resistant material that’s half as light as paper while maintaining the same flexibility to stretch and fold. 

What they did was combine metals like platinum with ash, resulting in a stronger alternative to the usual paper, plastic and rubber materials used in conventional origami robots. Having metallic elements also mean that it’s conductive — it acts as its own wireless antenna to receive signals from remote operators or other robots. 

On top of being resistant to fire (capable of withstanding about 800°C for up to five minutes), it can literally create its own heat by sending voltage through the material. NUS pointed out that this would help prevent icing damage when the robot works in cold environments. 

“We experimented with different electrically conductive materials to finally derive a unique combination that achieves optimal strain sensing and wireless communication capabilities,” mentioned Yang Haitao, a doctoral student at the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and the first author of the study.  

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“Our invention therefore expands the library of unconventional materials for the fabrication of advanced robots.”

Right now, there’s not a lot of practical use for origami robots, but the development of such technology could mean that future robots can be easily transported and stored before assembling itself to its final form. So yeah, Transformers are real — they’re just not as garish and explosive as what Michael Bay envisioned. 

ilyas@asiaone.com