Humanoid robot grows, shrinks, walks on water, and flies
The humanoid robot GrowHR can change its size via air-filled legs. Due to the air chambers, it can also walk on water.
GrowHR runs on water with lead weights on its legs.
(Image: Southern University of Science and Technology)
Scientists at China's Southern University of Science and Technology have developed the soft humanoid robot GrowHR, which can grow, shrink, walk on water, and fly (to a limited extent). The legs are designed as air-filled chambers that determine the robot's size depending on the air content. However, it does not have movable arms.
Most humanoid robots are made of rigid components. This makes them heavy, inflexible, and capable of injuring people in collisions. Researchers at the Southern University of Science and Technology in Shenzhen decided to build a soft robot that can change its size and walk on two legs. The researchers developed soft, airtight chambers encased in a robust fabric shell to serve as legs.
The chambers are cylindrical and can be filled and emptied with air via an electric pump. To ensure vertical stability at different lengths, they are supported by electric motors with tension cables via carbon fiber guides, as detailed in the study published in Science Advances, “Bioinspired growable humanoid robot with bone-mimetic linkages for versatile mobility.” This gives the legs strength at any length, allowing the robot to walk and carry loads. At the same time, the legs are soft enough to absorb shocks. The robot can achieve a size between 0.49 m and 1.36 m. This allows it to squeeze through narrow gaps, as it also shrinks in width by up to 61 percent.
Walking on Water
The 4.5 kg robot is capable of moving in various ways. It can perform walking motions with its two legs. This works on land and on water. However, on water, weights are needed on the feet to stabilize the robot. Due to its also air-filled body, it can stay on the water surface anyway and move with swimming-like leg movements. As it generates high buoyancy in water, it can be used for rescuing drowning people. They can cling to it in an emergency. It is said to be able to easily keep people weighing up to 72.8 kg afloat.
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The researchers have also equipped GrowHR with a different body featuring two electromotor-driven rotors. This allows the robot to take off. However, it cannot cover long distances this way. The researchers have also experimented with how this can be achieved. They hung the robot under a drone. The scientists wanted to find out if it could be transported quickly and easily this way. They see the robot's potential application in “search & rescue” missions in areas that can only be reached by air.
(olb)
