Successfully created a robot that heals wounds itself

The capabilities of humanoid robots are constantly evolving at a rapid pace - they can now chase targets or even shoot guns..At the same time, scientists have also taken the potential of creating human-like robots to a new level by creating an artificial “skin” that can heal itself.

Robotics teams around the world are now working on soft robots, as many situations require a gentler touch than rigid machines can provide.

Robot arm self-heals after being stabbed with a knife.

For example, they can get into tight spaces for search and rescue missions, or retrieve fragile objects without breaking or damaging them. Unfortunately, this also makes them more vulnerable, especially if they come into contact with sharp edges in their environment.

To solve this problem, researchers at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium) have developed a method to create flexible machines that can self-heal - all you have to do is give them heat.

A scientist stabs a self-healing robot arm.

The researchers demonstrated the method by creating a gripper—a robotic arm with artificial muscles that can heal itself. In the video, you can see the robotic arm mending itself after being stabbed. This is made possible by the material the team used to build the robot: a jelly-like rubbery polymer with many fibers that can reorganize and lock when heated.

This self-healing property could lead to the deployment of flexible robots in factories to handle fruit or other delicate items, as well as for search and rescue purposes. However, the team's current design still requires a human to apply heat to the robot's wound.

The rubbery polymer material looks like jelly balls and can heal when heated.

To truly create soft, low-maintenance machines, the team is now looking for ways to enable self-healing mechanisms. Perhaps they’ll improve polymer materials so they can repair themselves without external intervention, or find a way for robots to apply heat to their own damaged parts.

According to Khoahoc.tv