Robotics is constantly progressing, with new innovations being developed by scientists and engineers around the world. The latest to join the growing list of developments is a new type of robot that is soft.
The DeployBot, being developed by a team of scientists at Seoul National University led by Wei Wang, does away with rigid motors that are used in conventional robots to provide mobility. Instead, the DeployBot utilizes memory alloys controlled by electrical currents to move. This is what makes the robot ‘soft.’
The new development allows the robot to have a modular design and since there are no heavy motors present on the robot, overall costs to build and operate the robot can be reduced. The robots have potential applications in space and underwater exploration missions.