The flexible robots: the first patent in the world is made in Italy – The Messenger

His appearance vaguely resembles that of a snake, he makes his way alone and on the way that we build step by step can bend to avoid precisely any obstacles, so it can be used to “navigate” in the human body without damaging organs and make diagnosis or surgery, or to penetrate otherwise inaccessible space vehicles and repair faults.

It is the revolutionary robot developed in Italy and the first flexible robot in the world to have been patented. Described in the journal Plos One, the robot is the result of research coordinated by Edoardo Sinibaldi, the center of Micro-BioRobotics IIT in Pontedera (Pisa) and conducted in collaboration with South Korean Kang Byungjeon and the Macedonian Risto Kojcev, both students PhD at the Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna of Pisa.

the robot, whose first models designed for particular applications may come to market in the next 3-5 years, he is able to lengthen and curve, thanks to two structures’ intertwined ». The unique feature is that you can build it myself his leadership without external support, but simply advancing. “No other instrument – said Sinibaldi – is able to build a similar trajectory. It is a result born of arguments relating to symmetry: from a mathematical problem we built a physical object.

<'p> The two identical structures and “intertwined” that constitute the robot are made of a very durable and elastic material , called nitinol, a nickel compound and titanium. Advancing on one another alternately, supporting each other: where it passes the first, then the second and in this way the robot builds its trajectory, draws the curves, avoid obstacles. It is possible because both parties can become temporarily rigid, acting as a guide to guide: one that moves on ahead to be flexible, while the one who stays behind stiffens to act as a support to the first. Then take turns.

To make more or less rigid the two structures, depending on the need, is a pair of electric wires carrying current in small blocks of piezoelectric material that flow inside the structure and they expand when paths electricity. In this way the ‘robot-snake’ can bend as needed: his priority is to move and make their way to avoid any obstacle with his whole body and not just with his butt.