Collaborative Research: Self-powered Electrochemical Actuators toward Untethered Soft Mobile Robots

合作研究：用于无束缚软移动机器人的自供电电化学执行器

• 批准号: 2329674
• 负责人: Jie Yin
• 金额: $ 34.11万
• 依托单位: North Carolina State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2023-09-01 至 2026-08-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2329674&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Self; powered; Electrochemical

Autonomy is crucial for robotic applications, e.g., in search and rescue, surveillance, and monitoring and patrol, as it reduces human labor and enhance efficiency. Soft robots are desirable in these applications because of their ability to navigate through rough, constrained, or otherwise complex terrains and environments though morphing, reconfiguration, and adaptability. Onboard energy storage and actuation systems are two outstanding challenges in achieving broader autonomy for soft robots because these systems are non-conformable, inflexible, and bulky. This award supports research in meeting these challenges by integrating a novel 3D printed deformable battery-based electrochemical actuator with soft robotic structures for creating self-powered, untethered mobile soft robots. The deformable battery will serve as both a power source and an actuator for dual functionality. A successful outcome of this research will enable soft robotic applications for land, undersea, and space exploration, human-machine interactions, health monitoring, wearable technology, and defense and security. The education and outreach objective of the project is to promote diversity in undergraduate researchers through multiple inside and outside-campus activities with hands-on projects, as well as to spark the interest of K-12 students in soft robots by contributing to and leveraging institutional summer programs and camps.The objective of this research to achieve a closed-loop integration of electrochemical and mechanical functions for robotic functionality towards developing a self-powered, untethered mobile soft robotic system. Three aims will be pursued: 1) coupling of electrochemical powering and actuation in 3D printed structural batteries for self-powered bending actuators, 2) integration of self-powered electrochemical actuators with monostable structures for untethered motion in repetitive soft jumping and swimming robots, and 3) fundamental investigation of electro-chemical-mechanical bending and actuation behavior through combined experimental characterization, analytical modeling, and multiphysics simulation. To attain these aims, the research will focus on several novel aspects such as 3D printing with controllable microstructure, design of deformable and high energy density carbon fiber batteries, and enabling of robotic functions through electro-chemical-mechanical coupling.This project is supported by the cross-directorate Foundational Research in Robotics program, jointly managed and funded by the Directorates for Engineering (ENG) and Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE).This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

自治对于机器人应用至关重要，例如，在搜索，监视，监视和巡逻中，自主权降低了人工的劳动并提高效率，因此自主权至关重要。软机器人在这些应用中是可取的，因为它们能够在变形，重新配置和适应性的情况下浏览粗糙，约束或其他复杂的地形和环境。板载储能和驱动系统是实现软机器人更广泛的自主权的两个重大挑战，因为这些系统不可构成，僵化且笨重。该奖项通过整合了一种新颖的3D印刷可变形电池电池的电化学执行器和软机器人结构，以创建自动，不受束缚的移动软机器人，从而支持了应对这些挑战的研究。可变形的电池将既可以用作双功能的电源，又是执行器。这项研究的成功结果将为土地，海底和太空探索，人机相互作用，健康监测，可穿戴技术以及国防和安全性提供软机器人应用。该项目的教育和宣传目标是通过动手实践项目的多个内部和外部校园活动来促进本科研究人员的多样性，并通过为机构夏季计划和露营贡献和扎营来激发K-12学生在软机器人中的兴趣。将追求三个目标：1）在3D印刷结构电池中进行电化学动力和驱动的耦合，以进行自动弯曲弯曲执行器，2）将自幂的电化学致动器与单个可单体的结构整合在一起，以使无束缚的运动在重复的软跳跃和游泳机器人和3）的速度进行临床式的临床范围内，以及3）表征，分析建模和多物理模拟。为了达到这些目标，该研究将集中在几个新方面，例如具有可控的微观结构，可变形和高能量密度密度碳纤维电池的设计，以及通过电化学机械耦合来启用机器人功能的启用。 （CISE）。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的评论标准来评估值得支持的。