This Soft Robot Is 100% Edible, Including the Battery
Edible Robots: A Breakthrough in Soft Robotics
While traditional robots are made of metal and plastic, a new generation of robots is being designed to be edible. These soft robots are not only made of food-grade materials but also have the ability to be consumed by humans and animals alike. In a recent breakthrough, researchers from the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems at EPFL in Switzerland have developed an entirely ingestible robot capable of controlled actuation.
The Edible Battery
The key to this innovation lies in the development of an edible battery. The battery is made of gelatin and wax, which store chemical energy in chambers containing liquid citric acid and baking soda. These two substances are commonly found in food and are safe for human consumption. The citric acid is kept separate from the baking soda by a membrane, and when pressure is applied to the chamber containing the acid, the membrane is punctured, allowing the acid to slowly drip onto the baking soda. This reaction generates CO2 gas and sodium citrate, a common ingredient in many foods.
# Edible battery reaction
citric_acid = "C6H8O7"
baking_soda = "NaHCO3"
reaction = citric_acid + " + " + baking_soda + " -> CO2 + NaC6H7O7"
print(reaction)
The Edible Actuator
The edible actuator is a soft robotic design that uses interconnected gas chambers on top of a slightly stiffer base. When pressurized, the actuator bends, allowing for controlled movement. To make the actuator wiggle, the gas must be cyclically released. This is achieved through the use of an ingestible valve, which operates based on the principle of snap-buckling.
// Edible valve code
int valve_open = 0;
int pressure = 0;
void setup() {
pinMode(valve_open, OUTPUT);
pinMode(pressure, INPUT);
}
void loop() {
if (pressure > 100) {
valve_open = 1;
} else {
valve_open = 0;
}
digitalWrite(valve_open, valve_open);
delay(100);
}
The Edible Valve
The edible valve is the key innovation in this breakthrough. It operates based on the principle of snap-buckling, which means that it is happiest in one shape (closed), but when under enough pressure, it rapidly snaps open and then closed again once the pressure is released. This allows for the cyclic release of gas, enabling the actuator to wiggle.
Applications
The potential applications of this technology are vast. One potential use case is to provide nutrition or medication for elusive animals, such as wild boars. The edible robot could be designed to mimic the movement and smell of a live animal, attracting the wild boar and allowing for targeted delivery of medication or nutrients.
Conclusion
The development of an entirely ingestible robot capable of controlled actuation is a significant breakthrough in soft robotics. The use of edible materials and the development of an edible battery and valve system have opened up new possibilities for the design of robots that can be consumed by humans and animals alike. The potential applications of this technology are vast, and further research is needed to explore its full potential.
