Kas Tabanlı Aktüatörler Robotik Çözümlerin Potansiyelini Azamiye Çıkarabilir

A group of innovative engineers from MIT just created muscle-based actuators that could revolutionize robotics. The creative minds combined a specially designed mono-directional actuator with lab-grown muscle cells. This structure enabled the device to be lightweight and enhance performance. Here’s how this new muscle-based actuator could help power robots in the future.

Biyoflexürler Kas Tabanlı Aktüatörler

A makale published in the journal Advanced Intelligent Systems explains how a new type of bio flexure could provide repeatable and reliable results that are many times more efficient than a previous attempt. To accomplish this task, the team needed to reinvent the concept of a flexure.

Flexürler

Flexures are compliant mechanical elements that can act as actuators. An actuator is a device that can convert some form of energy into a controllable response. They are found in most robotics in some form and improving on these devices has an immediate effect. Some actuators convert heat, pressure, electricity, and magnetic energy.
Flexures are spring-like devices that leverage a rigid structure to act as actuators. They are popular in robots because they can be adjusted to provide micro-accurate movements. These actuators are small and lightweight which makes them ideal for these tasks.

Biyohibrit Flexürler

The MIT engineers used a combination of new materials and design to enable better performance from their creation. For example. they created a thinner flexure design that acts like a skeleton. The flexure features a pin connected to the base layer on each corner. There are also ground, cam, mobile, and mount pins.
Several rectangles within each other were designed to create exact muscle tension when needed. The engineers then bound muscle bands specifically to provide accurate contractions. This team then ran a series of tests and captured the data. Notably, the results were eye-opening with the device improving on all requirements. Additionally, the data could help create the first manufacturing standards in the soft robot industry.

Testler

The report detailed how researchers created a new method of muscle contractile dynamic tuning to enhance the performance of their biohybrid actuator. The testing began with measuring the distance between the posts. From here, the flexure was stretched and responded five times.
This frequency-independent testing enabled researchers to determine when muscle fatigue had affected performance accurately. This tuning also enabled them to get maximum endurance out of their creations and pressure test their capabilities. The more intense testing did show interesting results. For example, it revealed that higher intervals burnt out the muscle fibers faster.

Ayarlanabilirlik

The engineers switched the force of the flexure by altering how thin or far apart the beams that connect to the bases sit from each other. The layout was designed to optimize the muscle’s natural movement and combine it with flexure’s stiffness and degree of movement. Notably, the new biohybrid flexor is the most powerful and accurate so far.
It can flex and stretch with nanometer precision, making it ideal for micro-robotics. Additionally, the increased stroke output provides higher performance and reliability. These factors have helped the research team gain more interest in their findings.

İskelet Kas Dokuları

The MIT team researched different muscle types before deciding on their final option. Mice muscular tissue was chosen due to its availability, affordability, and ability to grow in a lab. The resulting muscle fiber was reliable and helped propel the project toward success according to researchers.

Kas Lifleri vs Sentetik Aktüatörler

Muscle fibers are great at converting mechanical and electrical energy into controllable actions. As such, it makes sense that robotics engineers seek to duplicate these benefits. Compared to traditional actuators, biohybrid actuators enable ultraprecise movement. They offer a combination of strength, efficiency, and adaptability that continues to make them a topic of discussion.
Additionally, These devices use less energy to operate, offer more trackability of capabilities, and can be much smaller. The main factors determining an actuator’s quality are its ability to provide reliable results, durability, accuracy, and force capability. Muscle fiber actuators continue to show promise as the ideal solution for the market.

Biyohibrit Robotlar

The idea of robots that use organic material might seem right out of a sci-fi thriller. However, biohybrid robots have already existed for over a decade. These machines combine natural aspects, such as muscle fibers, with robot functions to create impressive results.
Already, there are robots using muscle-based actuators to duplicate complex human tasks such as swimming or dancing. These “yumuşak robotlar” leverage an artificial skeleton for structure and stability. This approach enables engineers to create more articulate and precise movements that can match the delicateness of a human hand.

Biyohibrit Robotların Türleri

There are many different types of biohybrid robots in use today. These devices are as diverse as the world around you. However, the three main categories are microorganisms, tissue, and skeletal.

• Microorganic robots are built into or leverage components of cells to accomplish tasks. They are incredibly tiny, which makes them ideal for tasks requiring exceptional precision. As such, these tiny robots could one day help you heal or conduct health scans of the air you breathe.
• Tissue-based bots leverage muscle fibers and other tissue grown in the lab. These devices could be a game changer in the prosthetics arena. Imagine a robot that helps blind people see or amputees walk. Additionally, combining biological tissue with robotics lowers costs for small repetitive tasks and enables self-healing machines.
• Skeletal-based robots use a bio-based skeletal structure that makes them ideal for duplicating certain natural movements. Walking, jumping, and dancing are all examples of natural movements that skeletal-based robots continue to master.

Yumuşak Robotların Karşılaştığı Zorluklar

One of the main issues soft robot engineers face is a complete lack of unified design and modeling tools. This lack of standardization has led the industry to fray in all directions, with lots of effort being lost in repeating similar tasks. Plus, the unpredictable nature of biological elements adds another variable that engineers must contend with.

Kopyalama Sorunları

Unlike machined parts that can be guaranteed to be the same every time, lab-grown muscle cells can act differently. For example, you know the muscle will contract if stretched, but to get the same result every time without reaching failure is the key.
As such, it’s complicated to create biological components that provide the same performance. Interstingly, advancements in 3d tissue printing could hold the door to solving this issue in the future.

Standartlar

The success of this venture could help set some universal standards in the biohybrid robotic sector. Currently, there are many different projects, using different setups, to achieve the same goal. The latest innovation was designed to be a universal bio-mechanical actuator.
This approach enables robotic engineers to use these devices whenever needed and cut down on development time. Additionally, these fixtures can combine with other options to support any type of robotic skeletal structure. This model enables engineers to create complex biohybrids that could be tuned to serve specific roles.

MIT Mühendisleri

The team of engineers behind this advantageous effort includes Ritu Raman, Alex d’Arbeloff, Naomi Lynch, Tara Sheehan, Nicolas Castro, Laura Rosado, Brandon Rios, and professor of mechanical engineering Martin Culpepper. Notably, Culpepper is known for his ventures into miniature robotic mechanisms.
It’s this experience and their ingenuity that enabled the team to test a variety of actuators before settling on their ultimate decision. They found the accordion-style fixture enabled the muscle tissue to contract naturally while enhancing the spring’s force.

Biyohibrit Teknolojinin Avantajları

There are a lot of reasons why engineers have sought to combine biology and robotics. This merger could bring endless potential to the market. Imagine robots that get stronger as they work or can heal and adapt when needed.

Duyusal Algı

Biohybrid robots integrate biology at a cellular level, meaning these devices can harness organic material. Nature is full of amazing sensory organs that can detect everything from direction to electrical pulses. Engineers want to tap into these natural sensors to expand robot capabilities.

Beyin Arayüzü

Another area of focus for biohybrid engineers is improving how people interact with machines. For example, Elon Musk has spent substantial funding on the neural link interface, which connects to the brain’s neural network and interprets commands directly from thoughts.

Yeni Nesil Protezler

Many people see healthcare as the sector with the most to gain from soft robot integration. Think of a prosthetic made from real muscle tissue, one that the person could work with to improve, and that would replicate the sensations they would associate with the limb.

Sürdürülebilirlik

One of the biggest advantages of biohybrid technology is the ability to create robots that meld perfectly with their environments. These devices could one day monitor the environment and even help repair it. For example, think of sensors that could track and reduce pollution levels.

Kas Tabanlı Aktüatörlerin Gelecekteki Kullanım Alanları

There are many future use cases for this style of muscle-based actuator. These lightweight solutions could be used to power a new generation of micro-robotics. The theory has proven to improve efficiency. As such, from avionics to healthcare there’s a lot of attention on the team’s actions.

Robotlar Daha Hafif, Daha Küçük ve Daha Hassas Oluyor

Reducing power consumption and weight makes sense. You get more life and power out of your devices. Consequently, more engineers seek power-efficient options that can be easily adapted to fit various scenarios. The biohybrid actuator merges biology and robotics seamlessly to improve lives, efficiency, and capabilities. For these reasons, the project is worth monitoring moving forward.

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