자체 치유 소프트 로봇: AI 기반 수리의 새로운 최전선

로봇 공학의 돌파구: 생물학에서 영감을 받은 자체 치유 로봇

A team of engineers from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln has introduced a self-healing robot that can detect and repair damage autonomously. The device could contribute to the longevity of tomorrow’s robotics systems and electronic devices. Here’s how self-healing robots could become the norm and help to reduce waste, improve performance, and open the door for future innovations.

자체 치유 로봇이라는 아이디어는 공상 과학처럼 들리지만, 최근 AI와 기타 기술의 발전으로 많은 연구자들이 이 경로를 최선의 선택으로 보고 있습니다. 자체 치유 로봇을 떠올리면, 몸을 스캔하고 손상을 찾아낸 뒤 온보드 도구나 다른 장치를 사용해 스스로 수리하는 딱딱한 장치를 상상할 수 있습니다.

The problem with this concept is that it would require the robot to have access to additional material to complete the repair. It’s not like the robot would carry spare parts for every component. As such, this concept can only work in very limited scenarios where replacement pieces are on hand.

자연 모방

Understanding these limitations, scientists looked towards the human body’s healing capabilities for a better solution. When you get injured, your body is capable of healing over time. As long as the injury isn’t too severe, your body can recognize the problem, like a small cut, and dedicate resources to heal the problem. In a few days or weeks, the injury is completely healed with minimal scarring.

ICRA 2025에서 발표된 자체 치유 소프트 로봇에 관한 새로운 연구

Recognizing that a new approach would be essential to enable self-healing robots, a team of engineers began to examine more human-like robotic solutions. This search led them to release the study¹ “Intelligent Self-Healing Artificial Muscle: Mechanisms for Damage Detection and Autonomous Repair of Puncture Damage in Soft Robotics” at this year’s IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

This game-changing report delves into using soft robots as a means to accomplish self-healing tasks. Soft robots differ from traditional options in that they utilize flexible components that enable them to alter their shape and size, enabling them to accomplish unique tasks like morphing to navigate through a thin pipe.

The engineers used biomimicry to devise a soft robot that was similar to the human body in terms of layers. They began by introducing a multi-layer architecture. This approach relies on varying layers that accomplish different tasks but work together to enable the bot to duplicate the adaptive resilience of living organisms.

출처 – University of Nebraska–Lincoln

구동층: 자체 치유 로봇의 움직임

The outside is the actuation layer. This top layer is what enables the actuator to move. It relies on small pockets that get filled with pressurized water to initiate movement. This approach is ideal for soft robotics because it eliminates the need for motors or other rigid components that limit the soft robot’s capabilities.

자체 치유 열가소성 층 설명

The next layer is more rigid because it integrates a self-healing thermoplastic elastomer. This layer is responsible for introducing electromigration and thermal mechanisms to create physical discontinuities where damaged layers have caused electrical inconsistencies detected by the bottom layer.

전자 피부: 손상 감지 층

The bottom layer of this soft robot architecture is an electronic skin composed of LM microdroplets embedded within a silicone elastomer. This approach works like your nervous system in that it uses electrical current to monitor the surface continuity.

Specifically, there are liquid metal microdroplets embedded in a silicone elastomer that create conductive pathways. When damage is detected, the system can localize it and notify the middle layer, which then initiates its self-healing processes.

자체 치유 로봇이 손상을 감지하고 복구하는 방법

The system recognizes this electrical footprint as evidence of damage, which initiates a higher current to the area. The higher current acts like a heating mechanism, heating up the area that has electrical inconsistencies due to damage.

The process then melts and reseals the middle layer, and through electromigration, the metal atoms are returned to a separate state, eliminating the short and sealing the injury. Notably, electromigration was always seen as a hindrance due to the gaps, which caused the current to stop.

This study represents the first time the process was seen as a benefit to the conductivity needs. The combination of electromigration and the heated Joule effect effectively allows the device to reset the damaged area and eliminate the current inconsistencies at the same time. Additionally, it ensures that the self-healing robot can heal itself multiple times without problems.

연구진이 자체 치유 로봇 시스템을 테스트한 방법

The engineers set up a series of tests to see if their self-healing robot could perform as predicted. The team began by setting up the device with electrodes to accurately measure changes. From there, they applied various types of damage. These effects included heavy pressure and cutting.

자체 치유 로봇 실험 결과

The self-healing soft robot was able to autonomously detect the damage and initiate a self-healing process. The device applied a small current ramp of 0.25 amps every 10 seconds until thermal migration initiated. The process was then repeated 6 times for each test, enabling in-depth monitoring of the damage repair across several scenarios.

자체 치유 소프트 로봇공학의 장점

There are many benefits that self-healing electronics bring to the table. For one, they will help to improve the life expectancy of electrical devices. There are too many landfills overrun with damaged electronics. Self-healing soft robotics provides a better solution that can repair damage onsite, reducing costs and downtime.

자체 치유 로봇의 적용 분야와 미래

The self-healing robots study has the potential to revolutionize the robotics sector. There are several sectors that rely on robots, and the use of autonomous drones and other devices is on the rise. Consequently, self-healing capabilities could be exactly what’s needed to help push performance and longevity to the next level.

로봇 공학 및 탐사 분야의 자체 치유 로봇

The obvious use for these discoveries is in the robotics sector. Robots that can self-heal would be ideal for exploration, search, and rescue tasks. Anywhere a robot could encounter some item that could cause danger, like a twig or sharp rock, is better suited for self-healing robots than traditional hard units.

웨어러블 기술: 자체 치유 소재의 새로운 활용 사례

Another area where this technology could be useful is in the wearables sector. Wearables like smart watches undergo a lot of daily abuse. These devices need to be made to handle the rigorous schedule of their users and all the unexpected bumps and scratches that accompany it. Self-repairing wearables could be the perfect solution.

자체 치유 로봇은 언제 시장에 나올까?

You could see self-repairing robots hit the market in the next 5-10 years. The soft robotics sector is a fast-growing industry that is just now beginning to gain traction. These devices are sure to get more support as their benefits and capabilities become more commonly understood.

자체 치유 로봇 연구자

The self-healing robots study was put forth by engineers from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The study lists Eric Markvicka, Ethan Krings, and Patrick McManigal as the primary contributors. Notably, the self-healing robotics report was one of only 39 out of 1,606 submissions selected as an ICRA 2025 Best Paper Award finalist.

Notably, the engineers received additional support from the National Science Foundation, NASA Nebraska Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research, and the Nebraska Tobacco Settlement Biomedical Research Development Fund.

로봇 공학 시장에 투자하기

The robotics sector is one of the most innovative in the market. There is a host of contenders competing to create next-generation robotics that can help to solve some of the world’s most pressing issues. Here’s one company leading the innovative charge.

ABB Ltd.

ABB Ltd. (ABB ) is a global technology leader based in Switzerland. Its strong focus is on electrification, automation, and robotics. Founded in 1988 through the merger of ASEA (Sweden) and Brown, Boveri & Cie (Switzerland), ABB has grown into one of the most influential players in the industrial robotics sector.

The company’s robotics division has consistently pushed the boundaries of automation with advanced robotic arms, collaborative robots (cobots), and flexible manufacturing solutions.  ABB’s commitment to adaptive robotics aligns well with emerging technologies like soft actuators, intelligent materials, and self-healing systems – the very innovations explored in the University of Nebraska–Lincoln study.

In recent years, ABB has ramped up its investment in smart and human-friendly robotics through partnerships with academic institutions and acquisitions of AI-driven automation startups.  The company’s GoFa and YuMi cobots exemplify its strategy to develop robots that can safely work alongside humans – robots that could greatly benefit from self-healing materials to improve resilience and reduce downtime.  As industries move toward more autonomous, flexible, and damage-tolerant systems, ABB stands at the forefront of enabling this next wave of robotics.

Investors looking to gain early exposure to the soft robotics boom may want to track companies like ABB or follow emerging startups in advanced materials.

최신 ABB (ABB) 주식 뉴스 및 개발

자체 치유 소프트 로봇 – 당신의 다음 동료

The drive to create soft robots that can detect and self-heal damage is in full swing. Manufacturers see these devices as an ideal solution to the world alongside humans without causing additional risks. When you add in the ability to detect and self-heal injuries, these devices become a game-changer.

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참고 연구:

^{1. Krings, E. J., McManigal, P., & Markvicka, E. J. (2025). 지능형 자체 치유 인공 근육: 손상 감지 메커니즘 및 소프트 로봇의 천공 손상에 대한 자율 복구. Proceedings of the 2025 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA), 2591–2598. https://smr.unl.edu/papers/Krings_et_al-2025-ICRA.pdf}