Self-Folding Soft Rollbot Created by Harvard Researchers

Posted on August 21, 2019

Harrvard researchers created a self-folding soft robot they call Rollbot. The researchers used origami concepts and 3D-printed soft hinges that fold at different temperatures. This way the hinges can be programmed to fold in a specific order.

Rollbot can be seen starting out as a flat sheet and then rolling itself up on a hot surface as its hinges fold. The researchers say the response is programmed by varying the chemistry and the print architecture of the 3D-printed hinges. The research was co-authored by Emily C. Davidson, Jalilah M. Muhammad, and Robert D. Weeks.



Research Paper: Science Robotics
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